One hundred asian marching boys and the klueless klutch klan

The national executive of the strife-torn Democrats last night appointed little-known West Australian senator Brian Greig as interim leader – a shock move likely to provoke further conflict between the party's senators and its organisation. In a move to reassert control over the party's seven senators, the national executive last night rejected Aden Ridgeway's bid to become interim leader, in favour of Senator Greig, a supporter of deposed leader Natasha Stott Despoja and an outspoken gay rights activist.

Cash-strapped financial services group AMP has shelved a $400 million plan to buy shares back from investors and will raise $750 million in fresh capital after profits crashed in the six months to June 30. Chief executive Paul Batchelor said the result was "solid" in what he described as the worst conditions for stock markets in 20 years. AMP's half-year profit sank 25 per cent to $303 million, or 27c a share, as Australia's largest investor and fund manager failed to hit projected 5 per cent earnings growth targets and was battered by falling returns on share markets.

Senior members of the Saudi royal family paid at least $560 million to Osama bin Laden's terror group and the Taliban for an agreement his forces would not attack targets in Saudi Arabia, according to court documents. The papers, filed in a $US3000 billion ($5500 billion) lawsuit in the US, allege the deal was made after two secret meetings between Saudi royals and leaders of al-Qa'ida, including bin Laden. The money enabled al-Qa'ida to fund training camps in Afghanistan later attended by the September 11 hijackers. The disclosures will increase tensions between the US and Saudi Arabia.

Palestinian hired gun Abu Nidal, whose violent death was reported last week from Baghdad, was murdered on the orders of Iraqi President Saddam Hussein after refusing to train al-Qa'ida fighters based in Iraq, reports said yesterday. Iraqi intelligence chief Taher Jalil Habbush said last Wednesday Abu Nidal had shot and killed himself after being discovered living illegally in Baghdad and facing interrogation for anti-Iraqi activities. But Western diplomats believe the radical militant was killed for refusing to reactivate his international terrorist network.

Drug squad detectives have asked the Police Ombudsman to investigate the taskforce that is examining allegations of widespread corruption within the squad. This coincides with the creation of a special unit within the taskforce to track the spending of at least 10 serving and former squad members. The corruption taskforce, codenamed Ceja, will check tax records and financial statements in a bid to establish if any of the suspects have accrued unexplained wealth over the past seven years. But drug squad detectives have countered with their own set of allegations, complaining to the ombudsman that the internal investigation is flawed, biased and over-zealous.

Queensland senator Andrew Bartlett has launched a last-minute bid to rescue the Australian Democrats from a split that threatens to destroy the party. With nominations for the party leadership to close on Wednesday night, Senator Bartlett met last night with deputy leader Aden Ridgeway to offer him a place on a unity ticket and set up a reform process to begin healing the party's wounds. Party sources said Senator Ridgeway, who turned against former leader Natasha Stott Despoja, is still expected to contest the leadership against one of her two supporters: Senator Bartlett or Brian Greig, installed as interim leader by the party's executive last Thursday.

In Malawi, as in other countries in the region, AIDS is making the effects of the famine much worse. The overall HIV infection rate in Malawi is 19 per cent, but in some areas up to 35 percent of people are infected. A significant proportion of the young adult population is too sick to do any productive work. Malnutrition causes people to succumb to the disease much more quickly than they do in the West, and hunger forces women into prostitution in order to feed their families, making them more vulnerable to contracting the disease. Life expectancy has been reduced to 40 years.

The United Nations was determined that its showpiece environment summit - the biggest conference the world has ever witnessed - should be staged in Africa. The venue, however, could not be further removed from the grim realities of life in the rest of Africa. Johannesburg's exclusive and formerly whites-only suburb of Sandton is the wealthiest neighbourhood in the continent. Just a few kilometres from Sandton begins the sprawling Alexandra township, where nearly a million people live in squalor. Organisers of the conference, which begins today, seem determined that the two worlds should be kept as far apart as possible. Tight security surrounds Sandton's convention centre and five-star hotels, where world leaders will debate poverty, the environment and sustainable development while enjoying lavish hospitality.

Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo said he will weep if a single mother sentenced to death by stoning for having a child out of wedlock is killed, but added he has faith the court system will overturn her sentence. Obasanjo's comments late Saturday appeared to confirm he would not intervene directly in the case, despite an international outcry.

An Islamic high court in northern Nigeria rejected an appeal today by a single mother sentenced to be stoned to death for having sex out of wedlock. Clutching her baby daughter, Amina Lawal burst into tears as the judge delivered the ruling. Lawal, 30, was first sentenced in March after giving birth to a daughter more than nine months after divorcing.

Police are combing through videotapes trying to spot the gunman dressed in black who shot a 30-year-old man to death at a downtown massage parlour. The victim was hit in the stomach and upper body and died about 3 1/2 hours later in hospital. The woman was not hurt. Police urged business owners to turn over any security-camera videotapes they might have that recorded people on the street at the time. Several such videos are now being reviewed.

The Federal Government did not regret its actions 12 months on from the Tampa asylum seeker crisis, Small Business Minister Joe Hockey said today. Mr Hockey said the Government was not embarrassed by the Tampa issue, which began on August 27 of last year when the captain of the Norwegian cargo ship rescued more than 400 asylum seekers from an Indonesian ferry north of Christmas Island.

The Johannesburg Earth Summit is set to get under way with the promise that leaders will take action on the environment, debt and poverty. South African President Thabo Mbeki, speaking at the opening ceremony, said: "Out of Johannesburg and out of Africa must emerge something that takes the world forward." But the absence of US President George W Bush was threatening to overshadow the summit.

Robert Mugabe strengthened his hold on the Zimbabwean government yesterday by retaining the most combative hardliner ministers in a cabinet shuffle which offered little hope of a moderation of the land seizures and other policies that have kept Zimbabwe in crisis and brought international condemnation.

Pope John Paul II urged delegates at a major U.N. summit on sustainable growth on Sunday to pursue development that protects the environment and social justice. In comments to tourists and the faithful at his summer residence southeast of Rome, the pope said God had put humans on Earth to be his administrators of the land, “to cultivate it and take care of it.” “In a world ever more interdependent, peace, justice and the safekeeping of creation cannot but be the fruit of a joint commitment of all in pursuing the common good,” John Paul said.

The Russian defense minister said residents shouldn't feel threatened by the growing number of Chinese workers seeking employment in the country's sparsely populated Far Eastern and Siberian regions. There are no exact figures for the number of Chinese working in Russia, but estimates range from 200,000 to as many as 5 million. Most are in the Russian Far East, where they arrive with legitimate work visas to do seasonal work on Russia's low-tech, labor-intensive farms.

Australia's Commonwealth Bank on Wednesday said it plans to cut about 1,000 jobs even as it reported its profit rose 11 percent last fiscal year. Workers reacted angrily to the planned cuts, which Australia's second largest bank said were designed to control costs. The cuts will take effect this financial year. The bank reported net profit of 2.66 billion Australian dollars ($1.4 billion) in the year to June 30, up from 2.4 billion Australian dollars in the previous year.

Labor needed to distinguish itself from the Government on the issue of asylum seekers, Greens leader Bob Brown has said. His Senate colleague Kerry Nettle intends to move a motion today - on the first anniversary of the Tampa crisis - condemning the Government over its refugee policy and calling for an end to mandatory detention. "We Greens want to bring the Government to book over its serial breach of international obligations as far as asylum seekers in this country are concerned," Senator Brown said today.

" A passenger who attacked the pilot of a British Airways jet en route to Kenya had been cleared by police in London to board the flight. Paul Mukonyi was said to have been ""confused"" at the check-in desk at Gatwick airport and later asked for police, claiming someone was following him. A British Airways spokeswoman says Mr Mukonyi was escorted to the gate and the police were called at his request. After talking to him, police decided he was fit to travel. Several hours later during the overnight flight, Mr Mukonyi burst into the plane's cockpit and fought with the pilot. The fight lasted around two minutes, during which the 747 dived almost 3,000 meters. The man was overpowered and the plane landed safely in Nairobi."

" Northern Territory expertise in crocodile handling will be put to use, when the Australian Federal Police (AFP) remove a saltwater crocodile from an inland mountain community in East Timor this week. Territory police officer Chris Kilian, on secondment to the AFP, says a member of the militia brought the crocodile to the village of Ainaro but he has left it behind. Senior Constable Kilian says a Territory Parks and Wildlife officer has provided advice on how to remove the reptile. He says the crocodiles are sacred to the Timorese people, who want it returned to the coast, but do not want to touch it. ""In fact we've got to get permission from the local priest and have it blessed and things like that before we can move it and they've asked us to do it and we're happy to help out,"" he said."

" The Federal Government is calling on Laos to let Australian officials see two Australians detained since Saturday in the country's capital Vientianne. Consular officials have tried to visit Kerry Danes, an SAS officer conducting security work for a Laotian sapphire mining company, but have not been given any access to him. They visited Kay Danes on Christmas eve but have had no access to her since then. Australia's Ambassador to Laos Jonathon Thwaites has told the Laotion Government that Australia wants its officials to be given access to the couple as soon as possible and also called for the reasons for their detention. Foreign Affairs staff have delivered food and clothing to the detention centre for the couple. Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has urged the embassy to continue the effort to see the couple and determine the reasons for their detention. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A thorough search of a department store at Bondi in Sydney has failed to find four armed men who earlier held cleaning staff hostage. Police have the spent two hours combing the Grace Bros store at Bondi Junction looking for four men who held five cleaning and security staff hostage earlier this morning. The men, who were armed with knives, entered the building through the roof shortly after 6:00am AEDT and threatened staff. One worker escaped by jumping through a window and had to be treated for a broken leg. The remaining staff were released a short time later. Two were taken to St Vincent's Hospital with minor injuries. The area was cordoned off while officers from the State Protection Group searched the building, but no sign of the men was found. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" National Party president Terry Bolger has conceded preferences may be directed to One Nation or its offshoots in some seats at the Queensland election. Mr Bolger says he has asked all National Party electorate councils to carefully consider where preferences should be directed. He says some councils have informed him they want to put Labor last on how-to-vote cards because of the electoral rorting allegations made at the Shepherdson Inquiry. ""Someone's got to go last, you can't have two or three parties going last,"" he said. ""I'm just asking them to give it some thought and don't try and make a snap decision when the day arrives. I'm not giving them any directives."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Rough weather in Tasmania's Storm Bay is slowing progress for the yachts in the Sydney Hobart. Four yachts have already finished, with each telling horror stories about the conditions. Most years, yachts are becalmed in Storm Bay. This year the stretch of water leading into the Derwent has shown a different face with gale force winds up to 70 knots recorded overnight. Most of the fleet is stretched down Tasmania's east coast and yet to enter the bay, but the finished yachts, Nicorette, Wild Thing, Illbruck and Tyco have described the conditions there as the worst of the trip. Race record holder Nokia has contacted officials saying it has a torn mainsail and two injured crew members, but is continuing to race. Doctel Rager has pulled out with a busted forestay. The next yacht expected in is News Corp with an estimated time of arrival sometime after 2:00pm AEDT."

" Swedish maxi Nicorette still has the lead and is off St Helens on Tasmania's east coast, closely followed by Wild Thing in the 56th Sydney Hobart bluewater classic. The remainder of the fleet is stretched across Bass Strait in seas of up to three metres, with a south-westerly of up to 30 knots making the going tough. The first boat is expected in Hobart tomorrow morning. The next radio sked for a position update is 2:00pm AEDT. Meanwhile, the four round the world yachts taking part in this year's Sydney to Hobart may have a longer stay in the southern capital than was first planned. Originally the boats were only stopping in Hobart for a three hour pit stop. Illbruck, News Corp, Assa Abloy and Tyco are using this year's race to prepare for the 2001 Volvo Round the World Race, in which the Sydney Hobart will make up a race leg. It was originally planned they would only have a three hour pit stop in Hobart, before continuing to Auckland. Currently the four boats are in third, fourth, fifth and sixth position, 60 nautical miles behind the race leaders. It had been likely they would be leaving Hobart in the dark tomorrow night. But Round the World Race organisers are concerned there may be danger of collision. The four will now leave as a group, no more than six hours after the last boat arrives. ------------------------------------------"

" A 42-year-old Internet consulting company employee, accused of shooting seven of his co-workers to death, will be held without bail until his trial on murder charges. Michael McDermott, handcuffed and wearing an orange prison jumpsuit and a bulletproof vest, showed no emotion as the charges against him were read in court. McDermott pleaded not guilty. His lawyer, Kevin Reddington, asked he be allowed to continue psychiatric treatment while in jail. Tom O'Reilly, an assistant Middlesex County prosecutor said a heavily-armed McDermott walked into his Edgewater Technology office in nearby Wakefield, Massachusetts, on Tuesday and methodically shot seven co-workers in less than eight minutes. ""There were very little, if any, missed shots,"" he said. ""This was a methodical undertaking with deliberate premeditation and the method of shooting also rises to the issue of extreme atrocity and cruelty."" O'Reilly says investigators believe McDermott was angry over the company garnisheeing his wages for unpaid taxes owed to the US Internal Revenue Service. He said one of the seven people killed was a company vice president of human resources. Police later found McDermott sitting on a chair in the building lobby, armed with a shotgun, an AK-47 rifle and an automatic pistol. Beside him was a tote bag full of ammunition. O'Reilly says police found another rifle and more ammunition at his workstation and explosives and bomb-making materials at his home. Martha Coakley, Middlesex County district attorney, says authorities have no reason to believe he was planning any other violence. An ongoing investigation hopes to determine a motive for the shooting and how McDermott obtained the weapons. ""It is our goal to understand as much as possible about what happened in this tragic incident to attain a just result as quickly as we can, so that we can hopefully try to prevent it in the future,"" Ms Coakley said. The Boston Herald newspaper reported McDermott, a large, bearded man, was a US Navy veteran who served as an electrician's mate on a nuclear attack submarine. Neighbors interviewed by local reporters have said he lived alone and described him as aloof and sometimes hostile. He was divorced, with no children. The shooting capped a year of bad news for Edgewater, which has been reorganizing its staff and operations in recent months to evolve from a provider of human resources to an Internet consulting and services business. In November, Edgewater shed its staffing divisions, some of which had lost more than one third of their profits in the first nine months of 2000, the company reported. Public financial filings indicate Edgewater had begun buying back shares from stockholders, a common practice for companies trying to bolster share prices. ----------------------------------"

" Australian tennis star Mark Philippoussis has been banned from buying any more cars until he has won a grand slam tournament. Philippoussis has sold most of his stable of almost 20 sports cars, which included a number of Ferraris, after making a pact with new coach Peter McNamara. McNamara says his charge's next car purchase will be as a reward for winning a major tournament."

" A push is underway for Australia's naval shipbuilding to be consolidated in Adelaide, putting the future of dockyards in two other states in question. The ABC understands there is some support within the Federal Government to move much of the the naval shipbuilding industry to Adelaide, where the submarine project is due to finish next year. South Australia's Premier John Olsen is keen for consolidation in Adelaide. But a spokesman for Defence Minister John Moore, who retires next month, says the Government has no plans to rationalise the industry. The Defence white paper recommends projects including three new destroyers which Mr Moore says leaves plenty of opportunities for the Australian industry. But where that work is done depends on which companies win the contracts. The Victorian Government wants a Federal Government guarantee that Williamstown dockyard, owned by Tenix, will get some of the new work. But Mr Moore's spokesman says it will go to the best tenderer. The ADI company, which is due to finish building navy minehunters in Newcastle in 2002, will also be bidding. Both companies also plan to bid for the submarine corporation in Adelaide which is to be sold next year. -----------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A meteorite on display at the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery for more than 30 years has resurfaced as a popular attraction. The museum's Peter West says the latest scientific finding which points to bacteria in the meteorite, has led to new speculation that life exits far away from earth. ""It had fallen to Earth about 30 years ago but scientists have just suddenly done some work on it and discovered these little microscopic things that had come from outer space, which sort of has given rise to this whole new speculation about life somewhere else,"" Mr West said. -----------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Ansett and aircraft manufacturer Boeing are to meet the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) on Thursday to determine why maintenance inspections on six planes were not carried out when they should have been. Ansett grounded the Boeing 767s on Saturday after it was discovered the checks had not been carried out. CASA's Peter Gibson says the inspections were for older planes and it is hoped the meeting will prevent further problems with ageing aircraft. ""They weren't defect inspections,"" he said. ""There's nothing wrong with these aircraft and in fact we've done normal checks on these aircraft in the last few days and found out that they are in fact fine. ""They are safe to fly and that's why they are back in the skies,"" Mr Gibson said. ""But we do need to get to the bottom of why scheduled inspections that the manufacturer, Boeing, required weren't carried out at the time they should have been."" -------------------------------------------"

" In other news, Israel announced yesterday it was constructing an alarmed fence along the 1967 ceasefire line with the West Bank, complete with concrete blocks to stop cars. Deputy Defence Minister Ephraim Sneh says the $25 million project was meant to prevent ""terrorist infiltrations,"" although Israeli officials say the move does not mean recognition of 1967 lines of control. An official told news agency Agence France Presse the fence was in response to the 12 weeks of fighting in the region that have left more than 350 people dead. Sporadic shooting incidents have continued overnight, although the Holy Land was relatively calm for Christmas. In Bethlehem, where the gospel says Jesus was born 2,000 years ago, there was little sign of Christmas cheer, with rain keeping pilgrims and Palestinians indoors. ---------------------------------------------"

" Police are continuing to investigate the death of a man who was struck by an arrow yesterday, while sitting in his backyard at Rye, on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria. Police say a 16-year-old was using a professional bow on an adjoining property, when the arrow missed its target and went through a corrugated iron fence, killing the 58-year-old neighbour. Homicide detectives have spoken to the youth, and say an investigation into the incident will take several days. Senior Detective Ron Iddles says police have seized the bow and arrows, which are believed to be legally owned, but the death is not being treated strictly as an accident. ""He is a member of an archery club and I need to check the legal requirements as to where you can actually use the type of apparatus that he has,"" Detective Iddles said. ""There are many...different legal issues involved in this and it's not just straightforward."" -------------------------------------------"

" Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock says Australia is being marketed overseas as an ideal destination for asylum seekers. Mr Ruddock made the claim after police on Indonesia's resort island of Bali detained 14 foreigners, believed to be from Iran or Iraq, as they tried to board an Australia-bound flight with fake or stolen passports. Indonesia's state-run Antara news agency said the group attracted the suspicion of airport immigration officials because they held Canadian or Dutch passports but none could speak English. Mr Ruddock says the 14 were on their way to Australia to seek political asylum when they were stopped. He says the incident illustrates a desperate battle by people from many different backgrounds who were willing to break the law to move to Australia. ""The groups of people who were coming were primarily from Iraq and Afghanistan, but those numbers are falling,"" he said. ""There are new groups of people, some Palestinians, some Iranians or Syrians. ""That suggests to me that the smugglers are in fact, in what you would call in business, market development. ""They are out endeavouring to sell unlawful travel in a much wider range of countries than we've seen before."" Australia has seen a big jump in the number of people seeking asylum in the past two years, many arriving on boats which set out from Indonesian ports. In the past financial year more than 4,300 illegal immigrants arrived aboard 78 boats, compared with 920 the previous year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------"

" Top Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have ended a week of peace talks in Washington split on how much progress was made, but agreeing to consider further meetings with US President Bill Clinton. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat told reporters after a White House meeting with Mr Clinton that major gaps still exist. However Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami says both sides will brief their respective leaders, and a new Middle East summit involving President Clinton is still a possibility. ""We have had a week of fruitful and very serious discussions, inevitably differences remain, but I feel that it was a very encouraging round of talks,"" he said. The Middle East negotiators will let President Clinton know by the middle of the week if there is a basis for continuing, and PJ Crowley, from the Clinton administration's National Security Council, says it is a positive sign. ""There is a historic opportunity here, and we also understand that the United States' interest in the Middle East will not end on January 20, but there is an opportunity here to take advantage of the expertise our Middle East team has gained over eight years,"" he said. Mr Ben Ami says his next step is to report back to his Government colleagues in Israel. ""This is still too early to confirm. We need to deliberate between ourselves on whether we see these ideas that were raised here as a basis for an end gain,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------"

" Top Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are scheduled to meet President Bill Clinton in Washington tomorrow, despite doubts over whether talks so far have yielded progress. Contrary to reports in the region of substantial headway on key issues, Palestinian officials were decidedly pessimistic, and violence has again flared in the West Bank and Gaza, claiming at least four lives. A US security spokesman says it is at least encouraging that the sides are back at the negotiating table. He says the President will have the opportunity to hear from them where there has been progress, where differences remain and decide where to go from there. Clinton, who leaves office on January 12, is anxious to seal a deal before the end of his term and has reportedly suggested January 10 as a date for a summit with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has dismissed speculation she would be travelling to the Middle East to spur peace talks between Israelis and Palestinians. ""There are no travel plans,"" Dr Albright said in an interview with MSNBC television. The Secretary of State was speaking ahead of a White House meeting with Israeli and Palestinian delegates who have been negotiating since Tuesday. Dr Albright says time is running out on efforts to reach a peace deal following nearly three months of clashes between Israelis and Palestinians in which more than 350 people have died. ""Everyone knows there is a window here that will close,"" Dr Albright said. Dr Albright played down reports of a near fist-fight between negotiators as tension mounted on Thursday, saying ""I am not sure it's quite accurate."" She says Mr Clinton had been ""listening and thinking"" about the peace talks but would not discuss whether he has any proposals to put forward at Saturday's White House meeting. ""I think that he wants to know what is going on,"" she said. ""He wants to meet with (the negotiators) periodically. But I think we all know that time is running out and we need to use the President and he wants to be used in a way that is most helpful at the right time."" Dr Albright and National Security Advisor Sandy Berger will be in attendance at the White House for Saturday's talks. -------------------------------------------------------------"

" The head of the CSIRO's forestry division, Dr Glen Kile, has called for greater focus on the science of sustainable timber harvesting. Dr Kile says demands from some conservation groups to lock up large tracts of native forests will not necessarily prevent their degradation. He says it is possible through science to protect habitats and at the same time accommodate the needs of the timber industry. ""We do have a significant network of reserves and protected areas which is obviously part of managing our forest for bio-diversity,"" he said. ""We do have a capacity to manage other areas, which we use for multiple use in a complementary way to help manage bio-diversity across the landscape, but also at the same time allowing the use of forests for other uses."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A date has been set for a committal mention for the man charged over the paracetamol extortion case. 62-year-old Dennis Donald Fountain was charged with 10 offences on Tuesday relating to the alleged extortion bids against two Australian drug companies. Today the Brisbane Magistrates Court directed that the committal mention be heard on February 26. Fountain remains under police guard in a Brisbane hospital, after suffering a recurrence of a pre-existing medical condition. His lawyer, Lindsay Lawrence, says an application for bail, which was refused on Tuesday, is likely to be resubmitted at a later date. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --"

" The number of new cars coming onto Australian roads has fallen again. New motor vehicle registrations for the month of November have dropped 1.8 per cent. That follows falls of more than 5 per cent in October, and 9 per cent in September. In the latest month, road authorities registered a seasonally-adjusted total of just over 65,000 vehicles. Compared with November last year, that is up 4.5 per cent. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------"

" Technology, media and telecommunications stocks have led a two per cent slump on the Australian share market. The local sell-off follows global jitters over the slowing US economy. Triggered yesterday morning by commentary from the US Federal Reserve, the economic growth concerns in America underpinned a plunge this morning in the Nasdaq composite index of seven per cent. The Dow Jones index was down 2.5 per cent. Geoff Wilson from Wilson Asset Management says it is a very nervous climate at the moment. ""The Australian economy is slowing and the US economy is slowing and the question is how low will the market go?"" he said. Today at its weakest, the All Ordinaries index was down 70 points, or 2.2 per cent, which is its biggest drop since April's so-called ""tech wreck"". The media sector is down more than five per cent, with News Corporation dropping around $1.13. Lend Lease Corporation has been punished again for its earnings outlook, its shares crashing 13 per cent to below $16. Just before 12:00pm AEST, the All Ordinaries index was down 61 points to 3,130 - a slide of 1.9 per cent. The Australian dollar remains above 55 US cents at 55.37. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------"

" As many as 2,000 people may have died during East Timor's bloody transition from Indonesian province to fledgling nation last year, a United Nations investigator says. James Dunn, a former Australian consul to East Timor when the territory was a Portuguese colonial possession, and now a member of the UN team investigating militia killings, says 2,000 people may have died at the hands of pro-Jakarta militia fighters. ""They're still finding people, there's been a discovery in a well,"" he said. ""My investigation suggests quite a few people were killed in the mountains and their bodies were probably taken away, by relatives and buried privately. ""They've said nothing about them because they didn't want them disturbed,"" Mr Dunn said. ""I have to say I also have a very strong feeling and some evidence, a bit of it is personal, that some bodies were dumped out at sea."" Mr Dunn was in the capital, Dili, when the militias embarked upon a scorched-earth rampage across East Timor, after more than three-quarters of voters opted for independence from Indonesia, in a UN-supervised poll on August 30 last year. Mr Dunn says authorities officially estimated that about 1,000 people died in the violence. ""But my investigations suggest that we don't really know and that in fact the figure could be twice that number,"" he said. ""A lot of the killings outside the capital haven't been thoroughly investigated."" More evidence would come to hand when refugees held by the remnants of the militias in squalid camps in West Timor returned, he said. ""We certainly can't say that only a thousand were killed."" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------"

" Maxi yacht Shockwave has emerged as the outright favourite for the 2000 Sydney to Hobart yacht race. The 80-footer, owned by Neville Crichton, is paying just $1.30 for a $1 according to odds listed this week. Second in the betting, at 4-1, is another 80-footer, Swedish yacht Nicorette skippered by Ludde Ingvall. Melbourne yacht Wild Thing, which has been lengthened since last year's race, is third at 9-1 along with George Snow's Brindabella. At longer odds is Xena, an Open 60, which is listed at 21-1. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------"

" The Federal Opposition leader Kim Beazley says he does not expect an upcoming by-election in the Queensland seat of Ryan to have a big impact on Labor's election chances. The by-election for the safe Liberal seat will be held next year when Defence Minister John Moore retires. Allegations of branch-stacking within the Liberal party emerged during a previous pre-selection battle in which Mr Moore was endorsed. Mr Beazley says Mr Howard should tackle the long-running claims and follow the Opposition's handling of similar allegations involving Labor. ""It's not good enough. John Howard is responsible for a clean Liberal Party in the way that I'm responsible for a clean Labor Party and the time has come for an end to double standards in analysis in these affairs,"" he said."

" Surf lifesavers have expressed frustration over beachgoers who continually place themselves at risk of drowning. New research commissioned by Surf Life Saving Australia shows more than a third of beachgoers do not swim between the flags, despite knowing it is dangerous. The group says lifesavers, collectively rescued 10,000 people last summer, and 13 people have already drowned this season. Volunteer lifesaver Paul Booth says the figures are disappointing. ""What we want to do is make sure that people leave the beach with good memories. We don't like patrolling the beaches to be aggressive and tell people what to do,"" he said. ""We tell people to swim between the flags because it is important for their own safety. We don't like placing our own lives at risk trying to rescue people once they have ignored our warnings."""

" The death of the Carlton Soccer Club is expected to be confirmed tonight, when the board of Soccer Australia meets to terminate the club's licence. The Player's Union is today moving to have all 23 Carlton players listed as free agents, and a meeting of the club's creditors will be held tomorrow. But it is up to the Soccer Australia board to officially end Carlton's involvement in the national league, with results of all the club's games this season being declared null and void."

" The AFL has in-principle awarded its broadcast rights from 2002 to a consortium headed by News Limited. The AFL's chief executive Wayne Jackson says the deal is worth $500 million over five years. ""The deal represents the most significant financial broadcast rights deal in the history of Australian sport,"" he said. Foxtel has secured the pay television rights, previously held by Channel Seven. The AFL also prefers the News Limited consortium's bid for free to air rights, which would see coverage split between Channel Ten and Channel Nine. But Channel Seven has two weeks to match the offer under its contractual arrangement with the League. Seven has issued a statement saying it is obviously disappointed with the decision but would review and analyse the rival consortium's bid. The network says if it is not successful it has other scheduling plans for 2002. ------------------------------------------"

" Europe's Airbus Consortium has officially announced it will begin production of the new superjumbo passenger jet. But the US has warned the project could spark a new trans-Atlantic trade war. The new superjumbo A 380 will carry 555 people and according to Airbus, it will change the way people think about travel. The two storey interior could include stand up bars, gyms, bedrooms and shops. The decision to go ahead with production comes after the airbus consortium received 50 firm orders from world airlines, including Qantas. It will cost between $US10-12 billion to develop, two thirds of which will be paid for by Airbus and one third by the German, French, British and Spanish governments. The US has warned that it believes this is an unlawful subsidy and could spark a new trade war, but Airbus says the money will be given as repayable loans, that are legal under the current GATT agreements. ----------------------------------------------------------"

" The Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Admiral Chris Barrie, has played down reports a small number of soldiers from the elite parachute regiment 3-RAR had connections to an extreme right wing organisation. Three members, who have since left the regiment, were part of a heavy metal band with a civilian leader who was alleged to have neo-Nazi associations. While announcing details of an audit team to look into disciplinary processes in the army, Admiral Barrie said the defence force does not interfere with its members political beliefs. ""The Australian community would find that very offensive, you know it's not that long ago we had a constitutional referendum about outlawing the Communist Party in this country for God's sake, it's not on in this country,"" he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australian maritime rescue authorities are on stand-by in case they are called to rescue a lone yachtsman in trouble in the Southern Ocean. Organisers of the Vendee Globe around-the-world yacht race, say Frenchman Yves Parlier's boat Aquitaine Innovations has lost its mast in heavy seas about 1,500 nautical miles south-east of Perth. British yachtswoman Ellen Macarthur has been diverted to rescue the 40-year-old, with organisers fearful the broken mast could do further damage to his boat. Ms Macarthur says she will continue to check in on Mr Parlier over the next few hours. ""Knowing Yves, it's unlikely he will want to get off but if there is major damage and there's a big storm coming he might want to rethink,"" she said. ""I will speak to him on the radio and see how things go from there."" Australian authorities were forced to intervene in the race in 1996 to rescue Englishman Tony Bullimore and Frenchman Thierry Dubois who were stranded in the same area. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Children in detention centres may soon be provided with schooling, under a plan currently being investigated by the Federal Government. Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock told a public forum in Adelaide last night about options currently being considered. Mr Ruddock has called for an urgent report into the possibility of enabling children, whose families are in detention centres, to attend a local school. Under the proposal, the principle male member of the family would be detained, while the women and children would be housed in a group home, with the chance of education. Mr Ruddock says he hopes implementation will take place next year. ""It's a compromise but it's one worth looking at,"" he said. ""There are some people who believe you ought to be able to because you're...able to institute it immediately. ""It does require a comprehensive review."" Mr Ruddock is hoping to receive the report by the end of the year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------"

" Israeli and Palestinian delegations will meet American officials separately in Washington today, commencing the most crucial talks since the start of the three-month-long conflict between the sides. The talks are expected to focus on ways of reducing the violence so a formal leadership summit can be held. But the talks are being overshadowed by developments in Israeli domestic politics. Israeli Foreign Minister Shlomo Ben Ami played down expectations of the Washington talks, saying there were no guarantees the renewed dialogue with the Palestinians could deliver a peace treaty before Israel is due to go to the polls. An election now appears more likely to be held in early February and without the involvement of the most popular potential candidate, Benjamin Netanyahu. Under Israeli law, Mr Netanyahu can only run if the Parliament dissolves itself and holds general elections, or if a special law is passed, allowing non-members of Parliament to stand as prime minister. Mr Netanyahu says he would not run under the latter option and today the orthodox Shas Party, which holds the deciding parliamentary numbers, said it would not vote for parliamentary elections. If both decisions hold, Mr Netayahu's move for the prime ministership will be over before it has begun. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------"

" A 26-year-old Sydney man is being held in custody in Canberra over the death of a two-year-old child in his family's stolen car at Cabramatta, earlier this month. The man was arrested yesterday in a joint New South Wales-Federal Police operation and charged with manslaughter. Two-year-old Leo Nguyen was alone in his family's car when it was stolen on the afternoon of December 4. The child died from heat exhaustion after the car was abandoned a short time later with the windows wound up. Police spokeswoman Raveena Carroll says the man was arrested in the Canberra suburb of Tuggeranong. ""He was conveyed to the Canberra City police station where he was charged under the interstate arrest provisions with the offence of manslaughter in New South Wales,"" she said. ""He was refused bail and will appear in the Canberra Magistrates Court today where New South Wales police will seek his extradition to Sydney."" -------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------"

" Australia goes into the final day of the third cricket test against the West Indies in Adelaide today, needing 32 runs for victory with six wickets in hand. The home side will resume at 4 for 98, with Justin Langer on 43 and Damien Martyn 18. Australian spinner Colin Miller, who claimed 10 wickets in the match, says to pass 50 test scalps is a bonus so late in his career. ""Over 50 is nice isn't it?"" he said. ""I wouldn't have imagined it two years ago and as a 36-year-old, this be on the way to 100, so another couple of tests and I'll look at the three figures then."" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------"

" Two of the biggest names in global financial markets are backing a new online investing service launched today in Australia. North American investment bank Merrill Lynch and the banking group, HSBC, have committed up to $US1 billion to the online joint venture. It was launched earlier this month in Canada and Australia is the second of up to 20 countries where it will be available. Merrill Lynch HSBC Australia is aimed at self-directed investors, who will be able to trade in Australian listed securities and on 15 foreign markets. Banking products can be linked to the trading account while the Internet site will offer institutional quality research, as well as educational resources. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------"

" The Prime Minister is tipped to announce a frontbench reshuffle this week. The change to the Government frontbench is expected to be sparked by a decision by the Family and Community Services Minister, Jocelyn Newman, to stand down. The question is how widespread the changes will be. Some are not expecting wholesale changes, arguing that sort of reshuffle is likely to wait until after the election next year. But if Senator Newman goes, that effectively means at least two changes - someone to fill her portfolio vacancy and the need to put another woman in Cabinet. It is expected Justice Minister Amanda Vanstone would be put back into Cabinet ranks creating a vacancy in the outer ministry and the opportunity to shuffle some junior ministers. There may not be too much change in the Cabinet although the Workplace Relations Minister, Peter Reith, has made it clear he is not wedded to his portfolio - a signal he would not resist a change. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------"

" The Australian retail industry is entering its most critical week of the year. The new tax system will ensure that the last-minute Christmas shopping rush is more important than ever. Small businesses have now struggled through one Business Activity Statement under the new system. But it is the second, due in February, that could be all-important, with the key to business survival being cashflow. Last December almost $16.2 billion went through the tills of retailers. The Australian Retailers Association's Bill Healey says the industry is hoping for better this year. ""Well we estimate the December retail sales this year will be around $16.8 billion, which will be the highest sales in history,"" he said. ""Five point six billiion dollars is expected to be spent on Christmas-related purchases."" Mr Healey says some of the more popular items have been Sony Playstations, scooters, Pokemon products, mobile phones and other communications technology. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------"

" At least 10 mountain climbers and skiers have been killed in northern Italy's alps by icy, unusually treacherous, conditions compared to normal standards. The worst single accident happened on Mount Arera, north-east of Bergamo. One climber was killed trying to rescue a dog, then three companions died one by one trying to rescue the last man to fall. A fifth man died climbing a nearby mountain for a ski run down. Five more people were killed in accidents on peaks around Lecco, north-west of Bergamo. Most deaths in Europe's mountains during winter are caused by avalanches. But this season early snow, followed by rain and sun, has brought dangerously deceiving conditions, with almost invisible ice covering large areas of the alps in Italy. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------"

" The Federal Labor party's national executive is expected to endorse Trish Moran as its candidate in the federal seat of Robertson on the New South Wales central coast. Former Labor Senator Belinda Neal is contesting the pre-selection after losing the original ballot to Ms Moran. Ms Neal later won the right to a new vote. But Labor leader Kim Beazley has intervened in a bid to end the row, by calling a meeting of the party's national executive in Sydney tomorrow."

" Health officials in Zimbabwe say nine people have died from an outbreak of anthrax. At least 600 people have become infected with the disease. The Zimbabwean Health Department says the outbreak has been discovered 100 kilometres west of Harare and health workers are distributing information about the disease to local residents. Veterinary officers have begun vaccinating cattle and sheep in the area. The disease, which infects livestock, can also be passed on to humans, with symptoms including a high fever and swelling of the throat and spleen. Zimbabwe's Commercial Farmers Union says unless strict quarantine measures are put in place, the disease will spread to other districts."

" The Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer says New Zealand should not scale down its defence force. Mr Downer says New Zealand should continue its role as an important contributor to stability in the Pacific region. Mr Downer was commenting on the debate about New Zealand's current low levels of defence expenditure. He told Radio New Zealand that recent events in East Timor, Bougainville and Solomon Islands show New Zealand has an important role in regional security, and should maintain a defence force capable of dealing with that role. Mr Downer arrives in Vanuatu later today, on the second leg of a four nation South Pacific tour. He heads on to two of the region's recent trouble-spots, Solomon Islands and Bougainville, next week. In the Solomons, he will check the progress of a peace deal that ended a two-year ethnic conflict, and in Bougainville, he will be briefed on negotiations to find a political settlement between Bougainville leaders and the Papua New Guinea Government."

" * Diplomatic efforts to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict appear to be gathering pace with two meetings taking place between the sides in the past 24 hours. There are suggestions a summit could also be held in Washington in the next few weeks. Two key dates appear to be driving the resumption of negotiations, even while the violence continues. According to Israel's Foreign Minister, Shlomo Ben Ami, who met Paelstinian leader, Yasser Arafat, in a surprise late night meeting in Gaza, the Palestinian leader says he wants to reach a final peace before President Clinton leaves office on January 20. The Israeli Government has its own time pressure, needing a peace deal to save its electoral hopes before elections which could be held as early as February 6. United States State Department spokesman, Richard Boucher, says negotiators could head to Washington as early as this week and Israeli media reports say the Prime Minister's office is suggesting a leaders' summit could follow. But these early negotiationg are held against a background of continuing violence, which today alone saw riots in Jerusalem, reports of the shelling of a Palestinian town north of Ramallah and the shooting deaths of six more Palestinian men."

" Australia's birth rate has fallen to an all-time low. During the past year nearly 250,000 babies were born in Australia, around a third in New South Wales. But in 1994 the figure was nearly 10,000 more, with a fertility rate of 1.8 per cent, compared to 1.7 per cent this year. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------"

" The ANZ Bank has reopened the debate on foreign ownership, saying allowing a 100-year-old Australian company to fall into foreign hands would be a loss of national identity. At the ANZ's annual general meeting in Melbourne, chairman, Charles Goode said certain leading companies need to make sure their headquarters remain in Australia. The country's four major banks have complained that the Federal Government's ban on mergers between them makes them vulnerable to foreign takeover. The ANZ's chief executive, John MacFarlane says the Government has two concerns. ""Whilst they're concerned about the Four Pillars here, I think they're equally concerned about not losing head offices of the major Australian companies, not just banks, overseas. And I would have thought that it would weigh heavily on their minds as to whether, you know, it's in the national interest of Australia or not,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------"

" The United States Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has today approved the merger of America Online and Time Warner, creating the world's biggest media entertainment group. The commissioners voted 5-0 to approve the deal, an FTC statement said. The approval, a key regulatory barrier, came 11 months after the world's largest Internet group, AOL, and Time Warner, the giant media group, agreed to merge. AOL and Time Warner said in a joint statement they were pleased with the decision and that they expect the merger to close ""by the end of this year or the very early days of 2001"". The statement said the firms were ""engaged in constructive discussions with the Federal Communications Commission, which is the final regulatory agency whose approval is needed to close the merger"". The transaction, worth $155 billion at the time of the announcement, is now estimated to be worth about $100 billion based on current stock prices. The deal had raised numerous objections from critics who claimed a merged AOL Time Warner would have too much control over Internet and cable television as well as the ""content"" delivered over the networks. The merger approval included an agreement by the two firms guaranteeing that the Time Warner cable system, the second largest in the United States, would be open to competing Internet providers, the FTC said. Under the terms of the FTC order, AOL Time Warner would not only open up its cable system to competing Internet service providers (ISPs), it would also be ""prohibited from interfering with content"" from competitors using its networks."

" It will also be prevented from discriminating against competing services or from entering into exclusive arrangements with other cable companies on Internet access or interactive television. Additionally, AOL high-speed or ""broadband"" service would have to be offered at the same price in areas where the group has a cable monopoly as in regions where it competes with other providers. ""In the broad sense, our concern was that the merger of these two powerful companies would deny to competitors access to this amazing new broadband technology,"" FTC chairman Robert Pitofsky said. ""This order is intended to ensure that this new medium, characterised by openness, diversity and freedom, will not be closed down as a result of this merger."" The merger will create the prototypical ""new media"" company, with the provider of ""content"" such as film, music and television, but also systems for ""delivery"", such as Internet access and cable. The merged firm will have have 26 million Internet subscribers as well as cable systems delivering Internet, television channels such as HBO, TBS and CNN, Hollywood studios, music labels and publishing operations that include magazines such as Time and Sports Illustrated. The open-access deal was apparently a last-minute arrangement intended to secure FTC approval. Until now, the companies had agreed only to open the Time Warner cable systems to high-speed Internet access from rival Internet firm EarthLink. However, critics contended the deal should have a more enforceable ""open access"" provision. The AOL-Time Warner statement called the deal ""a win for consumers"" and said it expects the arrangement ""will become a model for other cable systems throughout the country"". The FTC could have voted to allow the merger to proceed or challenge the merger in court, where the outcome would be unclear. The deal has been approved by European Union regulators on condition that AOL and Time Warner fulfill their offer ""to sever all structural links"" with Bertelsmann AG of Germany. ---------------------------------------------------------------"

" One Nation is to change its name in New South Wales and delete all references to its national leader Pauline Hanson. The move follows the revelation that the Election Funding Authority has decided not to try to recover $550,000 in public funding from the party, after its initial de-registration in May. The party's State MLC, David Oldfield, is the only person who can legally re-register Pauline Hanson's One Nation in New South Wales after its latest deregistration last month. Mr Oldfield has decided to cut her out and register One Nation - New South Wales as the state organisation's new name. ""Pauline will not ever again be able to inflict her whimsical approaches to things and she will not have any authority over the people in this State,"" he said. ""It should be run and it should be operated and it should be maintained by people in New South Wales and that's how it'll be from now on."" Mr Oldfield says the Election Funding Authority decision is a moral and just one. ---------------------------------------------------------------"

" A new species of rainforest tree, dating back to prehistoric times, has been found in northern New South Wales. The new species, which is yet to be given a name, is being hailed as a living fossil. Only 17 mature trees have been found so far. The trees were discovered in the Nightcap Range, north of Lismore, and their exact location is being kept secret. New South Wales Environment Minister Bob Debus says it is a fascinating find. In 1994, the Wollemi pine was the last living fossil in the Blue Mountains. ---------------------------------------------------------------"

" One of the four accused men in the Snowtown mass murder case has tried to address the presiding magistrate, resulting in the court being closed to the public. A suppression order banning reporting of the incident has been lifted in the Adelaide Magistrates Court. Minutes into proceedings this morning, James Spyridon Vlassakis stood up in the dock and spoke the words ""What I'm about to say should not reflect on my co-accused"". When directed by Magistrate David Gurry to speak to his lawyers, Vlassakis said ""I would like to say I'm terminating my counsel."" His counsel, Rosemary Davey, then went to speak to Vlassakis and soon after the court was closed. Vlassakis has since been excused from the hearing for health reasons. He will not reappear until January 22 next year. Vlassakis is charged with five counts of murder. Three other men are charged with 10 counts. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------"

" Papuan independence leaders have urged Australia to take a more proactive role in independence for the province of Papua, formerly known as Irian Jaya. The Papua Council has made a renewed call for direct talks with the Indonesian President, Abdurrahman Wahid. It also wants the United Nations to play a more active role, and says governments like Australia can no longer afford to sit on the sidelines. Council chairman, Franzalbert Joku, says violence is escalating in Papua, and Australia's relationship with Indonesia should not be the priority. ""In order to avoid the experience of the East Timorese, governments like Australia and others cannot afford to wait longer, and I think here I commend the more proactive kind of approach being pursued by the Labour government in New Zealand,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------"

" A New South Wales regional airline carrier says expansion plans for its country network will be affected by the decision to develop Bankstown airport. Corporate affairs manager with Impulse Airlines, Simon Westaway, says his company only has limited slots into Kingsford Smith. He says if Impulse wants to expand its country network, it will have to split its operations with Bankstown, which would adversely affect its operations. Meanwhile, the shelving of plans to build Badgerys Creek Airport has caused uncertainly for regional airlines and anger in the city. Paul Reece from Yanda Airlines in the Upper Hunter says he had only be lured to Bankstown if infrastructure, transport links and financial assistance were forthcoming. ""It would take some years to re-establish our business. It would mean changing the way people fly and work in the minds the people who use in country areas,"" Mr Reece said. The mayor of the inner-western suburb of Marrickville, Barry Cotter, says it is too late for protest, but indicated there would be some lobbying in the Prime Minister's electorate of Bennelong. ""The electors are very conscious of their Prime Minster and the promises he made to them twice at the election about Sydney airport. We're going to remind the electors of those promises,"" he said."

" Police fear a 31-year-old man they claim was at the centre of one of Australia's largest armoured vehicle robberies may have met with foul play. After a day of searching a property at Cooma in New South Wales' south-east, police have yet to find any clues to his whereabouts. Matthew Charles Kelly has been missing since early September when his car was found abandoned near Captains Flat, north east of Cooma. Mr Kelly has been of interest to police since March last year when he was the driver of an amoured vehicle in Brisbane, which was robbed of $2.7 million. Mr Kelly was found several hours later, handcuffed inside the vehicle. During questioning he told police he had been attacked by four men who stole the money. A search near Captains Flat last month failed to locate Mr Kelly, but after receiving new information police have been led to a property believed to be north of Cooma."

" Nine detainees from the Woomera Detention Centre who were being held at the Adelaide Remand Centre after a disturbance at Woomera in August have been moved to the women's section of the Port Augusta prison. A representative of the South Australian Correctional Services Department, Bill Power, says the remand centre had a sudden influx of prisoners last week, forcing the change. ""I don't know how long they'll stay in Port Augusta, for if a lot of people are released off remand it may well be they'll come back,"" he said. ""It's all a matter of juggling the system to where accommodation is available - that's what its all about."" Mr Power says charges faced by the detainees, as a result of the disturbance at Woomera, are still being resolved."

" A Queensland soldier injured in a suspected militia attack in East Timor will spend two days recovering in the United Nations military hospital in Dili. Private Christopher Carter, of the First Battalion, has minor shrapnel wounds in the leg and buttock from what is thought to be a grenade. Major David Munro from Army Public Relations in East Timor says Private Carter should be fit for duty shortly. ""At this stage he is in a good stable condition. His injuries are being classed as minor by the doctors operating in Dili,"" he said. ""He is likely to convalesce and recover in Dili and be returned to his unit as soon as possible."""

" The first indictments for war crimes committed in East Timor after last year's autonomy ballot have been filed in a court in Dili. Eleven people, including an Indonesian Army officer, have been charged with offences ranging from murder and torture, to forcibly moving people from their homes. Ten militiamen, known as team Alpha, and an Indonesian Special Forces officer are the first to be charged with crimes against humanity. Members of team Alpha are accused of murdering five clergymen, two church workers an Indonesian journalist and a Timorese teenager. The Indonesian Army officer is accused of the torture, mutilation and murder of an East Timorese man. Nine of the 10 members of team Alpha remain in custody after being captured in the early days of the arrival of Interfet peacekeepers. The whereabouts of the tenth militia member is unknown. The UN is seeking the extradition of the Indonesian soldier. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The US Supreme Court has begun deliberating on the fate of the US presidency, after hearing arguments on disputed Florida ballots from lawyers for rival candidates, Democrat Al Gore and Republican George W Bush. The nine justices have not said when they will rule on whether to allow manual recounts that threaten to wipe out Governor Bush's small lead in Florida. The next United States president could well be decided today by the Federal Supreme Court. Republicans have asked the court to rule that the hand count of votes in Florida should stop, delivering victory to Mr Bush. Lawyers for Mr Gore, who believes a recount of votes would put him ahead of Mr Bush in Florida, say Mr Gore will accept the Supreme Court ruling. Today the court, in 90 minutes of argument, asked if it had the right to intervene in the Florida ballot. It ruled by a slim five to four majority at the weekend to halt the vote count ordered by the Florida Supreme Court. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The inquest into the deaths of six sailors in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart yacht race moves into its final stages today. State coroner John Abernethy will release his findings into what is, in terms of loss of life, the worst race in the event's 54 year history. Day two of the 1998 blue water classic saw the fleet leaders sailing into winds greater than 165 kilometres an hour and near vertical waves as high as 30 metres. Only 44 boats finished the race and six lives were lost, the body of one sailor has never been found, boats were destroyed and many more damaged. Since that race there have been several new safety measures put in place. Several more are expected to be recommended by Coroner Abernethy today. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Federal Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock has accused former prime minister Malcolm Fraser of being out of touch with immigration issues. Mr Fraser yesterday criticised the Federal Government's arrangements for detaining suspected illegal immigrants, labelling the Woomera Detention Centre in South Australia, a ""hell hole"". Mr Ruddock says Mr Fraser has not even visited Woomera and he maintains the Government's policies are responsible. Meanwhile, Federal Opposition leader Kim Beazley has again called for a full judicial inquiry into the situation, saying Mr Ruddock has taken a cynical approach to the matter. ""I don't know if it's a hell hole or not, but the reports are pretty awful and they're not being properly investigated,"" he said. ""[Mr] Ruddock is constantly trying to just see if there's an opportunity to tweak the tale a bit to elevate in the public mind, the fact that they don't like illegal migrants, it's not an issue of illegal migrants. ""They ought to be detained, but they ought to be detained properly."" -------------------------------------------------------------------- -"

" Qantas has denied it failed to warn passengers about the so-called ""economy class syndrome"", saying it has been advising people of the health risks for more than 10 years. Ten people are suing Australian and International airlines. The passengers claim they were not properly informed of the health risks while travelling in cramped seating conditions for long hours. Melbourne lawyer Paul Henderson says his clients are seeking more than $10,000 each in damages. He says some of his clients ended up in hospital for up to 10 days, having their conditions stabilised by the use of blood thinning products. However, Qantas says it has provided passengers with information about the health risks. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -"

" Plans to make cannabis-based drugs available to treat diseases such as multiple sclerosis have taken a major step forward with the development of water-soluble compounds. A team of researchers at Scotland's Aberdeen University is aiming to develop a cannabis compound which could be injected or used in aerosols or sprays. The breakthrough means patients would not have to smoke or eat the drug, methods which doctors say are either damaging to health or unreliable. However, the compound does not tackle the other major problem of cannabis-based medicine - separating its capacity for pain relief from the ""high"" it produces in users. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -"

" The Melbourne Storm is denying claims it has been found to be in breach of its salary cap. Melbourne is one of several clubs reported to have exceeded its cap this year, but the club claims the NRL is still considering its submission on the matter and there has been no decision made. The NRL has been considering the salary cap this week, with the Storm asked to provide more information. But a club spokesman says there is nothing to worry about, and the all-clear is expected some time next week. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Tropical Cyclone Sam is expected to cross the Kimberley coast in Western Australia's north within the next 36 hours. Sam is now located more than 100 kilometres out to sea, west of Broome. The bureau of meteorology's deputy regional director, Alan Scott, says the storm has intensified to a category five cyclone, but has significantly slowed, moving south, south-west at two kilometres an hour. ""Because it's a severe cyclone with category five characteristics I guess the wind speeds have gone up so that now maximum gusts near the centre [are] probably about 280 kilometres an hour and central pressure [is] about 920 hectapascals,"" he said. Janice Bell's family, at Barn Hill Station, 50 kilometres south of Broome, spent last night in a bedroom that survived the last cyclone. Mrs Bell says the property was devastated when Cyclone Rosita swept through in April. ""We've been here for 40 years and we haven't had cyclones that have done this much damage...so it's taken a bit [to] get going, [to] get back on your feet and start to rebuild and now six months later we've kind of been put in the same position,"" she said. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government is refusing to confirm or deny reports it is negotiating with Qantas and British Airways (BA) for a change in ownership restrictions on the Australian airline. Press reports in Britain say British Airways has been in discussions with the Prime Minister and the Transport Minister to lift its stake above the 25 per cent foreign ownership limit. Qantas chief executive Geoff Dixon is publicly backing a lift in the cap, but says the company's attitude is not related to the reports about BA's position. A spokesman for the Federal Transport Minister, John Anderson, says the Government does not discuss issues of a commercial nature. He said the Government had always said it would only consider a change in foreign ownership restrictions after a public debate. ------------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's Lleyton Hewitt succumbed to Juan Carlos Ferrero in a thrilling four-sets match to hand Spain its first ever Davis Cup tennis title in the final in Barcelona. Hewitt, who ground past Albert Costa in five sets in the opening rubber on Friday, could not quite reproduce that form as he lost 6-2, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 to give Spain an unbeatable 3-1 lead in the five-match series. While Hewitt fought off three match points against his own serve in the last game, a sizzling backhand winner on the fourth one from Ferrero finished the match. The 20-year-old was then mobbed by captain Javier Duarte and his team-mates, who formed a human mound on the red clay of the Palau Sant Jordi while the crowd went wild. The impressive form of 12th-ranked Ferrero against world No 7 Hewitt gave Spain its breakthrough win on its favourite clay surface, following two losing final appearances against Australia on grass in 1965 and 1967. It also denied Australia a 28th Cup, two in a row, and a winning farewell for captain John Newcombe, coach Tony Roche, and doubles star Mark Woodforde. The Aussie team will also leave behind a less than favourable impression on the Spanish public, after its complaints about the crowd and Spanish captain Javier Duarte's ""cheerleading"" in this most spiteful of finals. While the Australians said the crowd and Duarte had behaved beyond the bounds of Davis Cup spirit, the media here dismissed the storm as sour grapes. ""Australia demonstrated yesterday that it didn't know how to lose,"" said one headline in Marca, Europe's biggest selling sports newspaper, after last night's dramas. Hewitt, 19, took his time to warm up today against Ferrero in the battle of the youngest members of both sides. He lost the first set in just 35 minutes, but will long regret the missed chance of two set points when receiving at 5-6 in the second set. He squandered both with errors which summed up his troubles with his range and finishing today, and Ferrero went on to go two sets to love up by taking the tiebreak 7-5. Hewitt fought back to take the third set with a single break in the seventh game. But Ferrero rebounded to seize the first break of the fourth, in the eighth game for a 5-3 lead, then struggled to serve out for the match, being broken back to 15 by Hewitt for 5-4. Ferrero rebounded strongly to break Hewitt for the match. Ferrero's victory followed his win on Friday when Pat Rafter retired in the fourth set of the second singles match, and the doubles win by Alex Corretja and Juan Balcells over Woodforde and Sandon Stolle yesterday. The team captains agreed not to play the second of today's reverse singles matches between world No 8 Alex Corretja and 15th-ranked Pat Rafter. ------------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A Senate inquiry into changes to the Sex Discrimination Act, which would allow states and territories to restrict access to fertility treatment, now will not deliver its report until next year. The committee had been expected to report its findings earlier this week. Moves to change the law came after a successful Federal Court challenge to Victorian laws, which prevent single women having access to fertility treatments like in-vitro fertilisation. The Prime Minister announced the plans during the Labor Party conference this year, prompting division among Labor MPs, and suggestions he was exploiting the political advantage. The Government's bill has been delayed pending the findings of the Senate inquiry. Those findings are not expected to be released until early next year. Also in the new year, the Catholic Bishops will challenge the Federal Court ruling in the High Court, a move expected to be opposed by women's groups. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------"

" Further allegations have been raised in the New South Wales Parliament concerning federal Labor frontbencher Laurie Ferguson, and electoral rorts. New South Wales Liberal MP Charlie Lynn last night claimed in Parliament that Mr Ferguson had tried to intimidate a former ALP staffer who has made claims implicating him in vote rorting. Mr Ferguson yesterday denied any involvement in, or knowledge of, false electoral enrolments. Mr Lynn claimed last night the former staff member, Janice Hamilton, received a ""chilling"" phone call from Mr Ferguson's stepson earlier this week, in which she was allegedly threatened with ""severe retribution"". Mr Lynn told Parliament the woman's former employer, a man named Paul Matters, had received a similar call. ""[In the calls] they were called loony. She [Ms Hamilton] was challenged that they'd pay severe retribution and I would hope that Mr Ferguson would call off his troops and desist from this sort of intimidation,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------"

" The oil company Shell has blamed shrinking margins for the loss of 350 jobs in the next 18 months. Most of the 100 head office jobs to go are in Melbourne, with another 200 shed from commercial marketing nationwide and a further 50 from other areas. Shell's chief executive Peter Duncan says both the commercial marketing and the refining divisions will make losses this year. He says while oil producers may like high crude oil prices, refiners and marketers do not. ""You've got to buy that crude oil, and you've got to see your refiners' margins squeezed, and in our country they've been squeezed anyway because of the regional surplus of refining capacity,"" he said. ""Then you've got to take those products at those high prices and get them into the market, and those margins get squeezed as well. ""So indeed that side of the business does not like high prices at all, and neither does its consumers."" -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------"

" Australian captain John Newcombe says he is surprised Spain has opted not to play its highest-ranked player Alex Corretja in the first singles rubbers of the Davis Cup final in Barcelona this weekend. The Spanish have selected Albert Costa to play Lleyton Hewitt, while Juan Carlos Ferrero will meet Pat Rafter. Corretja will play in Saturday's doubles, and is expected to clash with Hewitt in Sunday's reverse singles. Newcombe says the move shows the home team expects to win the final comfortably. ""They understandably feel quite confident about the result, in fact they're freely predicting they're going to win 4-1,"" he said. ""I'm only too happy to go along with that and I agree with them, I hope they do get a little bit overconfident."" Newcombe says whoever plays for Spain will be a formidable opponent. ""I think it's going to be very tough. I've got a good feeling, I think we'll win, but I don't think it's going to be that easy. ""If we don't win the doubles it means we've got to win three out of four singles which is a really big ask."""

" Meanwhile, market interest rates have dropped sharply following the employment data. The Australian dollar had fallen about one-fifth of a cent just before 12:00pm AEDT to 54.64 US cents. Markets now see an official interest rate cut next year as increasingly likely. --------------------------------------------------------------"

" Employers are opposing a 7 per cent wage claim for Australia's low-paid workers. The ACTU claim is being heard by the full bench of the Industrial Relations Commission. The claim seeks a $28-a-week pay rise for almost 2 million low-wage earners. ACTU secretary Greg Combet says Australia has enjoyed strong economic growth during the past four years, with executive salaries rising by 68 per cent last year. However, he says increasing interest rates, high petrol prices and the goods and services tax have resulted in the emergence of the working poor. ""That is people who haven't got bargaining power and who depend on minimum wages - those working families fall further behind,"" he said. Reg Hamilton from the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry says while there may be a case for a small rise, the claim for 7 per cent is unsustainable. ""Business is slowing, the capacity to pay is not as great as it could be, an increase of 7 per cent to our minimum wage system is not sustainable and will damage jobs,"" he said. A decision on the claim is not expected until late March. --------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government is standing firm on its Internet gambling moratorium, despite threats of legal action from at least one state. Laws imposing a 12-month ban on gaming websites have been passed by the Senate. The 12-month moratorium is backdated to May this year and affects sites which were not up and running before that period and which allow punters to bet on games such as poker and blackjack. It does not apply to betting on sporting events. The Tasmanian Government is considering its legal options because the moratorium affects five betting licences it granted this year. The Northern Territory and Queensland say the Commonwealth would be better off regulating Australian sites instead of trying to ban something that will still be available through international operators. Communications Minister Richard Alston says the main aim of the moratorium is to halt the expansion of the Internet gambling industry while the Government investigates the feasibility and consequences of a permanent ban. He says it is the appropriate time to be reviewing the industry while it is still in its infancy."

" Australia will seek to repair relations with Indonesia at Ministerial talks due to to be held in Canberra today. Up to six Indonesian Ministers are scheduled to attend the meeting at Parliament House. For Australia, the meeting is the message - a symbol of resumed dialogue laying the way for a future visit by Indonesia's President, Abdurrahman Wahid. The Ministerial talks were abruptly cancelled by Jakarta in October, and continuing problems mean that even the opening statements today will be made behind closed doors. Australia wants to put a ministerial seal on a new aid agreement with Indonesia, and the Defence White Paper released yesterday seeks to resume military links. Defence Minister John Moore says Australia briefed Indonesia last week ahead of the policy statement. ""That was very well received and I'd anticipate that the next step would probably be a visit by myself to Indonesia at some stage,"" he said. Mr Moore said any further fragmentation of Indonesia would be against Australia's interests. Instability in Indonesia is one of the regional factors behind the Government's decision to commit an extra $23 billion to defence during the next 10 years. Mr Moore says Indonesian officials have been fully briefed on the new defence policy, and support it. He says Australia's foreign policy interests are best served by Indonesia remaining as it is. ""The last thing Australia wants, the very last thing Australia wants, is any further fragmentation of the Indonesian states,"" he said. ""Small island states find it difficult to survive in economic terms. It's much better for Australia to have the current state of Indonesia, succeed."" Meanwhile, a long-time Darwin-based supporter of East Timor, Rob Wesley-Smith, says today's meeting falls on a significant anniversary. ""As a long-time Timor supporter I'm very pleased that the Indonesian Government Ministers are talking to the Australian Government,"" Mr Wesley-Smith said. ""But [it is] ironic on this day it's the 25th anniversary of the invasion of East Timor which has caused so much grief for the East Timorese and between the two nations. ""So I hope they at least reflect on that at the beginning of their meeting,"" he said."

" Significant relief could be in the pipeline for Australian motorists, with a further slide in world prices for crude oil. Falls in pump prices are expected to follow. Some analysts in the United States are calling it the end of the two-year bull run on oil prices. Back in September, west Texas crude futures hit a post-Gulf War high of $US37.80 per barrel. Overnight, they have been as low as $US28.25. Markets are reacting to growing stocks of crude in the United States. Commonwealth Bank commodity strategist David Thurtell says Australian motorists should benefit. ""They can expect that petrol prices will come down fairly significantly not only from lower oil prices, but from the higher dollar as well,"" he said."

" London's The Guardian newspaper has declared it will run a campaign for a referendum in Britain over the role of the monarchy. The newspaper is also planning to support a legal challenge to a ban on Roman Catholics, or those born out of wedlock, from succession to the throne. Risking life deportation under the 1884 Treason Felony Act, The Guardian's editor has announced his intention to run a campaign in the newspaper advocating a British republic, and questioning the need for what it describes as an ""indefensible"" hereditary institution. Alan Rushbridger says the paper has also briefed Australian-born Queens Counsel Geoffrey Robinson to run a court case under the European Human Rights Act challenging the 300-year-old ban on Roman Catholics and illegitimate children from succession to the throne."

" The Australian Rugby Union is confident there will be a Super 12 team based in either Perth or Melbourne by 2002. A two-day meeting of Australian, New Zealand and South African rugby officials ended in Perth yesterday with a consultant appointed to review the Super 12 competition."

" Australia is to spend an extra $23 billion on defence over the next decade. The Defence White Paper presented to Parliament calls for an immediate increase of $500 million next financial year. Military spending is to rise by an average of 3 per cent a year in real terms for the rest of the decade. The Prime Minister, John Howard, says the comprehensive reappraisal of Australian defence capability is a major Government achievement. ""It sets new standards in the clarity with which the fundamentals of our strategic policy are explained, it sets new standards in the detailed program we have set down for the development of our defence forces,"" he said. ""It sets new standards by providing specific and unambiguous long term funding guidance for defence."" Mr Howard says Indonesia's political transition and economic problems pose major challenges for Australia. He says the Government is steadfast in its commitment to supporting Indonesia's stability and territorial integrity. The Prime Minister says Papua New Guinea and many of the Pacific island states also face domestic challenges. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------"

" The ABC is to seek more than $37 million in extra, ongoing funds from the Federal Government. With ABC staff just returned from a 24-hour strike, chairman Donald McDonald emerged from a board meeting to make the announcement. Mr McDonald says the money will be spent on four projects of national significance across the mediums of radio, television and online services. They include beefed-up services for rural and regional Australia, children and schools and business and personal investors. Mr McDonald says a further $2.8 million will be sought for a pilot of the online educational service. ""Obviously it's up to government to decide when they react to it,"" he said. ""We would hugely prefer to have them act on this submission, should they accept it, within this current financial year."""

" But the Prime Minister John Howard says while the Federal Government has a warm regard for the ABC as an institution, it is not bound to meet the national broadcaster's budget demands. Mr Howard has been asked in Parliament when the Government will restore adequate funding. He says the ABC had a 10 per cent funding cut when the Coalition came to office, but has enjoyed stable funding since then and extra payments to help in the transition to digital broadcasting. ""The Government has complete confidence in the board of the ABC, but that does not mean that we will always share the board's view of the funding priorities that we have to meet of different government responsibilities,"" he said. ""Any funding submission that the ABC makes will be considered by the Government carefully and courteously in the budget context, as has been the case in the past."""

" Employees of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) have walked off the job over fears budget cuts are destroying the broadcaster's independence and integrity. The strike has affected radio and television news bulletins, online production and forced the cancellation or rescheduling of programs for 24 hours from noon AEDT. It follows an unprecedented plea from some of the ABC's high profile employees for public support in their fight to halt what they fear may be a full-scale commercialisation of the ABC. In a statement issued yesterday, ABC managing director Jonathan Shier said the ABC is not obsessed with new media but he says he believes the organisation must have a substantial presence in new media if the broadcaster is to remain relevant. He also says the ABC will not undertake commercial activity that breaches its Chart or Act, and he is not interested in earning money from advertising online. ABC supporters have vowed to make ABC budget cuts an election issue by campaigning in government-held seats at the election due by the end of next year."

" The head of the federal parliamentary inquiry into electoral rorts has ruled out any examination of alleged false enrolments at the homes of two Ministers. The Labor Party has accused the Environment Minister, Robert Hill, and Sports Minister Jackie Kelly of having people enrolled at their address who lived elsewhere. Both have rejected the allegations. Liberal MP Christopher Pyne, who chairs the parliamentary inquiry, says the claims are an attempt to smear the Ministers and his committee will ignore them. ""These allegations are just smear from the Labor Party,"" he said. ""There's no substance or base to them. My inquiry doesn't have a watching brief to cover that particular issue and we won't be investigating them, "" he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----"

" Police in Indonesia's province of Irian Jaya have arrested a fifth leader of the independence movement, an officer said today. The Rev Herman Awom was formally detained at police headquarters in the province's capital Jayapura yesterday, following more than five hours of questioning, police sergeant Wahyudi said. ""Mr Awom is now in detention and sharing a cell with his colleagues from the Papua Presidium,"" Mr Wahyudi said. Mr Awom presented himself at police headquarters shortly before nightfall yesterday, dressed in a flowing black preacher's robe, clutching a bible and flanked by a fellow preacher, his lawyers, wife and three daughters and several members of his congregation. Police have charged him with subversion for his alleged separatist activities. Four other leaders of the Papua Presidium, Irian Jaya's non-governmental separatist council, were charged with the same offences last week. The four included the chief, Theys Eluay. Mr Eluay, Presidium secretary general Taha Al-Hamid and members Don Flassy and John Mambor were arrested between Wednesday and Thursday last week. Speaking to AFP through their cell bars yesterday, the four detainees said they were taking their arrests as ""part of the struggle"". The four said they were being treated well. All four said police had finished questioning them and they were awaiting their release pending a trial, as promised by the police. They said police asked them the ""usual questions"" about which country the province belonged to and whether they recognised it as the Indonesian province of Irian Jaya, rather than the sovereign state of West Papua. The arrests were part of a concerted crackdown on the independence movement coinciding with last Friday's 39th anniversary of an unrecognized declaration of Papuan nationhood. On December 1, 1961, as former Dutch colonisers departed the western half of New Guinea island, native Papuans declared independence. Indonesian troops began infiltrating Irian Jaya in 1962, and in 1969 a UN-organised referendum ratified Indonesian sovereignty over the province. Independence leaders maintain the vote was flawed and unrepresentative. Irian Jaya is home to a native Melanesian population of 1.8 million people, most of them Christians, plus another 700,000 settlers from other parts of Indonesia. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----"

" A Florida circuit court has rejected Vice-President Al Gore's request for a hand recount of 14,000 disputed ballots in two Florida counties for the hung presidential election. Judge Sanders Sauls of the Leon County Circuit Court in Tallahassee, issued the ruling in response to Mr Gore's lawsuit to contest the certified Florida tally. Mr Gore asked the court to order Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties to recount the disputed votes, claiming the certified Florida tally is incorrect. About 10,700 votes went uncounted through machine counters in Miami-Dade and 3,300 in Palm Beach, many of which the Gore campaign believes should go for Gore and thus reverse Republican candidate George W Bush's paper-thin 537-vote lead under the official tally. The Gore campaign is expected to appeal the ruling to the Florida Supreme Court. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------"

" Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has carried a weapon in public for the first time since his 1994 return from exile, accusing Israel of violating an agreement to cool down the situation. His comments have come after heavy Israeli-Palestinian gunbattles raged near a holy shrine in Bethlehem, known to Jews as Rachel's Tomb. Israeli helicopters also fired two rockets at a refugee camp near Bethlehem. Palestinian medical officials say 12 Palestinians were injured, including two, who remain in a serious condition. The Palestinian Minister for Jerusalem, Ziad Abu Zayyad, says he is disappointed at the latest outbreak of violence. ""Unfortunately, we're used to hearing positive statements from the Israelis, but when it comes to practice we see something totally different,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------"

" The European Union has formally agreed to ban meat-based animal feed, in an effort to calm consumer concern over mad cow disease. The ban will take effect from the January 1 and will last for six months. A meeting of agriculture ministers of the 15 EU member states has moved to restore confidence in the beef market and among consumers with a blanket ban on all meat based feed for livestock. The ban comes amid growing panic over mad cow disease. In the past few weeks, the disease has been found in countries that had been thought to be BSE free and the beef market has almost completely collapsed after it was revealed, despite careful screening procedures, meat from an infected herd was sold through three French supermarkets. A European Commission spokeswoman said the feed ban was not based on science but was rather a response to community concern. The ministers have also agreed to ban the sale of meat from all cattle over the age of 30 months. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------"

" ABC staff representatives have accused the managing director, Jonathan Shier, of hiding, from the public, the real depth of his budget cuts to the organisation. Eleven staff representatives met with Mr Shier this morning to be briefed on his plans for the national broadcaster. They say after eight-and-a-half months the managing director was still unable to articulate his vision and the future of programs. Television journalist Kerry O'Brien says the group also has grave concerns about Mr Shier's obsession with new media at the expense of core programing. ""You know we can all worship at the altar of new media but, at the ABC, the leadership of the ABC has a responsibility to do more than just worship at the altar,"" he said. ""They have to think it through clearly, carefully and responsibly and they have an absolute obligation to consult the staff and consult the public and to put us all in the picture."" ---------------------------------------------------------"

" The United States Justice Department has sent representatives to Florida to gather information about alleged voting irregularities. A spokeswoman in Washington says the department has received complaints that blacks and other minorities in several parts of Florida were impeded by voting officials when they tried to cast ballots. A major civil rights organisation says it has gathered 486 complaints and taken more than 300 pages of sworn testimony from people who say they were blocked from voting. The organisation plans to file a lawsuit this week alleging voter intimidation and other violations of voting rights. ---------------------------------------------------------"

" Indonesian police have arrested 47 people in a renewed crackdown on separatists in the troubled province of Papua, also known as Irian Jaya. The arrests follow a weekend of bloodshed in which police opened fire on independence supporters and seven people died. Yesterday, Indonesian riot police stepped up a campaign to crush separatism in Papua, storming an arts centre in Jayapura which has served as a headquarters for pro-independence militiamen. Dozens of militiamen were arrested and bows and arrows as well as axes and spears were seized from the building. On Saturday seven people were killed, six shot by Indonesian troops in the town of Merauke after separatists replaced a national flag flying in the town's centre with a pro-independence morning star flag."

" Queensland ALP backbencher Grant Musgrove will today resign from the Parliamentary Labor Party, five days after meeting the Premier to discuss his political future. Premier Peter Beattie has thanked Mr Musgrove for doing what he called ""the decent thing"" after the Springwood MP was implicated in electoral fraud at the Shepherdson Inquiry. Mr Musgrove joins former deputy premier Jim Elder in having to quit the party since the inquiry began, although both men will remain in Parliament until the next election. Meanwhile, the inquiry is expected to take evidence from former ALP organiser Lee Bermingham who has been branded responsible for widespread electoral rorting. Mr Bermingham has previously given evidence at a closed hearing of the inquiry."

" ALP president Greg Sword has defended the practice of making donations to competing political parties. Labor is embroiled in the cash-for-preference affair, which has already left the Queensland Beattie Government in a minority position with a new deputy premier. It has spread to Western Australia, Victoria and lead to a walk out by Labor in Federal Parliament last week. Mr Sword has told Channel Nine there is nothing wrong with giving financial support to minor parties. ""It's only normal for parties to negotiate with other parties and independents about their preferences,"" he said. ""It's one thing to do that and then from time to time it's not unknown that from time to time either an independent or a smaller party may not have the resources to distribute their how to vote card or resource it. ""If you've got an agreement with them about getting their preferences it's obviously in your interest to assist them."""

" Mr Sword denies the affair will damage Kim Beazley's chances of becoming the next prime minister. He says most of the issues that have arisen, particularly in Western Australia and Victoria, will be sorted out quickly. Mr Sword said the party is committed to cleaning up the mess in Queensland. ""There's a two part program to make sure that no one's left in any doubt that the Labor Party, that the leadership of the Labor Party at state and federal levels, are absolutely committed to making sure that the party gets its house in order, that the party's honest and its processes are honest,"" he said."

" In the latest violence in Indonesia's province of Papua, also known as Irian Jaya, eight people have died, six of them shot by Indonesian troops. Troops opened fire after independence supporters went on a rampage in the town of Merauke. It was the the first violence since an agreement to lower separatist flags across Papua province went into effect yesterday morning. In Merauke, flags were pulled down, but an angry group of 500 pro-independence supporters tried to hoist one of the flags again. Rioting broke out and Indonesian security forces opened fire. Merauke hospital confirmed six pro-independence supporters were shot dead and a taxi driver was killed with a spear."

" The Federal Government has approved the expansion of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, as part of its plan to include 28 previously excluded areas in the World Heritage area. The expansion will be officially proclaimed at the end of January. The six new areas from between the far north of Queensland to Gladstone will add an extra 1,300 square kilometres to the world's largest World Heritage area. They are the Weymouth, Bathurst Head, Cooktown, Clump Point, Broad Sound and Curtis Island sections. Federal Environment Minister Robert Hill says the new areas include important fringing reefs and significant dugong habitats. He says recreational and commerical fishing will generally not be affected but permits for building constructions like pontoons and mooring facilties will be required. Mr Hill says the six new areas will help safeguard the Parks biodiversity."

" A new scandal has rocked the Queensland Labor Party, with police called in to investigate irregularities in party bank accounts for the Federal seat of Bowman. A Labor Party state candidate, John Budd, yesterday gave a statement to the party's state secretary about the matter. The Premier has now sacked Mr Budd, who was a ministerial adviser, from that position and says he will also lose his endorsement as an ALP candidate. Premier Peter Beattie says he is certain the Federal Member for Bowman, Con Sciacca, knew nothing about the irregularities. Meanwhile Queensland Labor Party President, Shirley Mellor, says the issue relates to what she has described as a ""family problem"". ""I guess you can tell by my voice that I'm quite upset about it,"" Ms Mellor said. ""It's very sad, it's sad for his family what's happened. ""Nobody knew about this problem until John actually came to us yesterday."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government is being urged to reconsider its position on a Stolen Generations reparations tribunal. The Government has rejected a Senate committee's call for a tribunal, saying it is unnecessary and would require the same burden of proof as the courts. But Michael Schaefer, one of the lawyers who represented two Northern Territory members of the Stolen Generations in a landmark compensation case, says that is not so. He says a tribunal set up under appropriate guidelines could save the Federal Government millions. ""There's a major concern that there's an enormous number of claims waiting to be processed and if they have to go through anything like the sort of process that the two lead claims have had to endure then it's going to be many years and many millions of dollars before these matters are appropriately dealt with,"" he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A global awareness campaign has been launched to address the role of men in the AIDS epidemic. The new campaign has been announced to coincide with World AIDS Day. Men outnumber women in terms of both HIV infections and AIDS deaths in every continent except Africa. Robin Gorna from the Australian Federation of AIDS Organisations says while men have been at the forefront of AIDS prevention in Australia, its time for another wake-up call. ""We need to remind men - gay men, bisexual men and straight men - throughout Australia that HIV remains a very real threat for us and they need to carry on making a difference and carry on preventing HIV,"" she said."

" Democratic vice-presidential candidate Joe Lieberman says Florida lawmakers are wrong to seek a special session to intervene in the disputed White House race. The Republican-held body has recommended a special session which would see Florida's legislature appoint the state's 25 electors, who would then break the the tie between Republican George W Bush and his Democratic rival Al Gore. Senator Lieberman has appealed to Florida's Governor Jeb Bush not to allow the action, which he says threatens to place the country in a constitutional crisis. ""For the Republican majority in the legislature, to say that they are prepared to put their judgement in place of the judgement of the 6 million voters of Florida is just wrong and sets a terrible precedent,"" he said."

" Just over three weeks after the presidential election in the United States, Florida's Palm Beach County has reached a final vote tally. The manual recount of ballots shows the Democrats would-be president, Al Gore, made a net gain of 188 over his Republican rival George W Bush. The original count was done by machine. But whether the swing to Vice-President Gore means anything remains to be seen. Because Palm Beach failed to submit its final figures to meet a deadline four days ago, Florida's secretary of state, a Republican appointee, certified the original machine count. Now the fate of votes cast in Palm Beach and another county, Miami-Dade, is the subject of a complex court battle. More than 1 million ballots from Miami-Dade and Palm Beach counties will be sent to a Florida Circuit Court under armed police escort. Representatives from both the Democrat and Republican campaigns will accompany the convoys. Yesterday, circuit court judge Sanders Sauls ordered that the ballots be delivered under police escort to his court in Tallahassee by Saturday morning. But the judge did not order an immediate recount, instead setting a hearing for Sunday. Lawyers for Mr Gore have appealed against that decision, arguing for an immediate recount. ---------------------------------------------------------------"

" Former Queensland deputy premier Jim Elder has confirmed he will not be contesting the next state election. Mr Elder has written an open letter to the voters in his Brisbane electorate of Capalaba, telling them it is with great sadness that he will not be contesting the next election. He also says he will be resigning from the Labor Party, but does not make it clear when this will happen. Mr Elder resigned as deputy premier last week and today gives evidence to the Shepherdson Inquiry into electoral fraud. ---------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Liberal Party has denied a former Senator offered to pay for Shooters Party how-to-vote cards in the 1996 Lindsay by-election. New South Wales Shooters Party MP John Tingle has claimed former senator Bob Woods approached the party's candidate about redirecting preferences to the Liberals. But the Liberal Party's federal director, Lynton Crosby, says Mr Woods and the party's state director completely rejected the claims at the time. Mr Crosby has accused the Labor Party of trying to dredge up the matter to distract from the controversy over a payment made to the Democrats in 1996 by frontbencher Wayne Swan. Meanwhile, Prime Minister John Howard told Adelaide Radio 5DN that of all the claims raised about electoral matters, the ones in Queensland about rorting of the electoral roll are the most serious. ""That is the most serious issue involved in this whole matter as far as I am concerned and I think we have to direct our minds to that,"" he said. ""These other issues are important and I think they need to be investigated, but it is the illegal use of the electoral roll which is the most serious issue."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Democrats leader Meg Lees says a check of the Party's records in Queensland has found no trace of any donations from the Federal Labor frontbencher, Wayne Swan, during the 1996 election campaign. Mr Swan has told Parliament the payment was not made in exchange for preferences. Senator Lees says the only people who would know what happened with that payment are the former candidate and the then-campaign manager for the seat of Lilley, and they are no longer members of the Party. ""We have checked records and we have rechecked records, there is no record of money being donated to the Democrats from anyone in Queensland in any way related to the Labor Party,"" she said. ""And not only is there no record of any incoming money coming to the Party, there are no records of any outgoings to the seat of Lilley beyond that that went to any other seat. ""They got the same proportion of how-to-vote cards, there is no evidence of any other posters or material that we can track through."" Meanwhile, the Federal Liberal Party director, Lynton Crosby, says the practice of one political party helping another with practices such as manning voting booths is not unusual. He is keeping up the pressure on Labor over a payment made to the Democrats in 1996 by ALP frontbencher, Wayne Swan. Mr Swan has strongly denied the payment was made in exchange for preferences, saying it was done after a national decision on preferences. Labor sources say assisting Parties like the Democrats with handing out how-to-vote cards, and even helping with printing costs, is part of the process. Mr Crosby says that while he does not know what every Party member does, he is not aware of the Liberal Party extending financial assistance. ""There have been occasions in the past, I've acknowledged this, no-one would deny it, where there has been a need for a Party to man polling booths, to assist in getting a preference message out or whatever it may be to provide some such assistance and that's an accepted practice,"" he said. ""But conditional support - no way."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Barak has announced he will send the country to early elections. The Israeli Prime Minister has told Parliament he will announce an election date within the next few days. Seventy members of the 120 seat Israeli Knesset were set to vote for early elections, a process that would have taken some months to achieve, but in the end Mr Barak chose to pre-empt that move. Mr Barak told the Knesset he was not afraid of elections, that he had been successful whenever he had stood and that if the Knesset wanted early elections he was prepared. He says a date will be set within a few days for polls for both the Knesset and the prime ministership. The move comes after two months of crisis for Mr Barak's Government after its central policy of reaching an Israeli-Palestinian peace accord collapsed amidst fighting. Mr Barak is now expected to attempt to reach either a full or partial peace accord with the Palestinians in the lead-up to the poll to make the central platform of his electoral campaign."

" Illegal immigrants at the Woomera Detention Centre are being force fed after being on a hunger strike for the past two weeks. The ABC has been told up to 50 detainees have been involved in the hunger strike over delays in processing their refugee applications. It is claimed 10 people yesterday were taken to hospital to be forcibly rehydrated, with five of them handcuffed to their beds. A lawyer involved in refugee matters, Nick Poynder, says ordinary Australians would need a court order to be force fed, but special laws have been put in place to allow force feeding of detainees. ""Detainees are subject to a particular regime which allows for them to be force fed in a way that doesn't apply to other Australians,"" he said. ""My understanding is that doctors in general do not approve of force feeding and there's been plenty of international opposition from medical groups to the force feeding of hunger striking prisoners."""

" The Australian Tax Office (ATO) has received nearly all the quarterly business activity statements it expects to be lodged. Federal Treasurer Peter Costello says the ATO has 1.5 million statements and expects about 100,000 more to be sent in. Mr Costello says those figures are a very high return. He has noted today's Yellow Pages Small Business Index which shows 54 per cent of small businesses found implementation of the goods and services tax to be very easy or quite easy. He says 13 per cent found it very difficult."

" The Law Council believes federal legislation to prevent single women from having access to in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) technology would be likely to breach international law. The council has put its case to a Senate committee, which is inquiring into the Government's proposed law. The council's president, Anne Trimmer, says there is a significant risk the bill is in conflict with the Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women. Ms Trimmer says Australia is bound by that treaty and should abide by it. ""It's arguable that the bill in amending the act does conflict with the very treaty that it was meant to implement,"" she said. ""Our role is to assist the committee to identify some of the risks inherent in the bill."""

" The Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, has denied receiving any written or verbal advice of alleged sexual abuse in the Woomera Detention Centre before July. An immigration agent has claimed she sent a letter and phoned the minister's office in April to report the allegations. Mr Ruddock says the woman spoke to one of his advisers in April but no mention was made of sexual abuse. He says his office has no record of the woman's letter. Mr Ruddock maintains he was first told of the allegations in July. ""In August or at the end of July, I was briefed on the fact that certain allegations had been made and that they were being investigated by police and by the South Australian Department of Family and Youth Services,"" Mr Ruddock said. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" A senior United Nations official has called for international observers to be sent to the Palestinian territories to monitor what she called ""the bleak human rights situation"". Mary Robinson, the UN's Human Rights Commissioner, spoke to reporters in Geneva after presenting to the UN a submission she wrote following a tour of the territories. Ms Robinson's report to the UN General Assembly on the deteriorating human rights situation in the occupied territories makes for bleak reading. She says her recent visit to the region left her with the impression of a hardening of Israeli-Palestinian positions and a reluctance to negotiate. She recommends the setting up of an international monitoring presence in the territories, where she accused Israel of using excessive force. Nearly 300 people, mainly Palestinian, have died in the past two months of violent clashes. The Israeli ambassador to the UN disputed many of the report's findings. He also questioned the usefulness of sending international monitors to the West Bank and Gaza. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" The United Nations' working group on arbitrary detention says it has suspended indefinitely all plans to visit Australian detention centres. The working group has blamed what one source has described as Government obstruction. The UN's working group on arbitrary detention has been seeking permission for the past two years to visit Australia's detention centres. The visit was first proposed after a 1997 report from the UN's Human Rights Committee criticised the legality of Australia's detention system for refugees and asylum seekers. Earlier this year, the Government reneged on an agreed date for a visit in May or June. The working group then wrote to the Government expressing regret at the decision and asking for another date to be set. According to a source within the group, no official response has followed but it has been made clear that no new date will be offered. The same source says the working group will not be begging the Australian Government and that all plans for an independent investigation of detention centres have now been called off."

" Software giant Microsoft has asked a Federal Appeals Court in Washington to find that a lower court was wrong in deciding it had an unfair monopoly and should be broken up. It has submitted a brief criticising the lower court of a district judge for perceived mistakes in handling a move by by the Justice Department and several state attorneys-general to split Microsoft in two. The brief states Microsoft did not engage in anti-competitive conduct, and that consumers like Microsoft products. In response, a Justice Department spokeswoman said the lower court judgment was well supported by evidence offered during the lengthy trial this year, including thousands of pages of Microsoft's own documents. The department is due to file its brief with the appeals court in early January, and Microsoft will reply a couple of weeks later. Oral arguments are set for late February."

" Welfare groups in South Africa are offering help to more than 1,000 families who have been left homeless after a fire at a squatter camp. Many families have spent the night sheltering at a local hall. The Red Cross and the Salvation Army are struggling to provide assistance to the victims of the fire. Up to 1,300 families lost their homes in the blaze, which destroyed a squatter camp outside Cape Town. Many families are now without food, shelter and clothing. Some are camping in the open, outside the ruins of their former homes. Police say the cause of the blaze at the squatter camp is unknown and forensic investigators have already begun gathering evidence. It is suspected that an open fire used for cooking may have spread out of control. Several people are recovering from burns and smoke inhalation after being caught in the blaze."

" The Australian and West Indies cricket teams will arrive in Perth this afternoon to prepare for the second Test, starting on Friday. Australian fast bowler Jason Gillespie is fit and should make his long-awaited return to Test cricket on a fast and bouncy WACA wicket, while Glenn McGrath needs just two wickets to reach 300 in his Test career. WACA curator Richard Winter is confident there will be no repeat of the incident earlier this month, where a one-day match between WA and Queensland was called off after just five overs because large cracks made the pitch unsafe."

" Mr Beattie does not believe any more of his Labor MPs are set to face allegations of electoral fraud. Four MPs are under scrutiny at the Shepherdson Inquiry. Three Labor MPs have been implicated in electoral fraud, and former deputy premier Jim Elder is under investigation by the Shepherdson Inquiry. Premier Beattie says he has complete trust in his remaining MPs and he would be surprised if further allegations were raised. The Labor Caucus meets tomorrow afternoon to ratify the appointment of veteran Minister Terry Mackenroth as Deputy Premier and the elevation of Bundaberg MP Nita Cunningham to the Ministerial vacancy, both caused by Mr Elder's resignation. Opposition leader Rob Borbidge says Mr Elder should be banned from the meeting. ""Now Mr Beattie's all very good at talking the talk it's about time he walked the walk,"" he said. Mr Borbidge says he has put the Coalition on ""war-footing"" for an early election, hitting the campaign trail himself in Cairns tonight."

" A Sicilian television show featuring female strippers who kiss and fondle a male newsreader has proven so popular, the station is planning to broadcast an even racier version. Station owner Sergio Petta says he will go ahead with the new show next month, despite condemnation from the clergy, and alleged threats from the local Mafia. News Pouts features dancing women in revealing lingerie, and a newsreader who satirises current events. Several infuriated Roman Catholic priests have raged against the program, urging their parishioners not to tune in. Russian television currently features a program called Naked Truth in which an anchorwoman strips while reporting events, and politicians line up to be interviewed by topless reporters."

" The Prime Minister says the Federak Government will not name a Federal Labor frontbencher accused of allegedly rorting electoral rolls in Queensland. The MP's name has been supressed by the Shepherdson inquiry, which is investigating allegations of vote-rigging within the ranks of the Queensland Labor Party. The claims were made during hearings last week. John Howard says the Government will respect the inquiry's ruling. ________________________________________"

" The Federal Opposition Leader, Kim Beazley, says there was nothing unusual in the Labor Party assisting the Democrats in the Queensland seat of Lilley during the 1996 federal election campaign. A former Labor organiser says that Federal Labor MP, Wayne Swan, asked him to deliver an envelope filled with cash to a Democrats campaign office. Mr Swan's solicitor says a national agreement was entered into with the Democrats regarding preferences. It is understood the assistance was offered after that agreement was made. The Democrats say the money was for printing election material. Mr Beazley says it is a lie to suggest the ALP exchanged money for preferences. ""And it's an out-and-out lie because we know where the preference arrangements were made,"" Mr Beazley said. ""The preference arrangements were made by Robert Ray and Gary Gray, discussing this thing through with the national Democrat party counterparts in all agreements in relation to preferences were made there and no other agreements were made."" ________________________________________"

" Environmental groups have accused the United States and Australia of wrecking the Climate Change Conference in The Hague after it collapsed with no resolution. Last minute negotiations at the conference, for a compromise deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions, has failed. Now delegates from 180 countries head home with nothing more than an agreement to meet again in six months. Environmental groups claim that is the fault of the US and Australia for insisting on flexible rules in meeting a target to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 5 per cent by 2010. The European Union would not accept their arguments. Efforts for a compromise collapsed when EU countries could not come up with a united approach and the British Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, stormed out in disgust. ""We were so close, I'm gutted that we didn't make it, but particularly for all those people who wanted to see change. But that's life, we'll just keep on going,"" Mr Prescott said. The failure of the nations to reach agreement has been condemned by environmental groups. Jennifer Morgan of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) laid the blame squarely at the door of countries that tried to compromise on the ambitious plan for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. ""The WWF is incredibly disappointed, sad and angry today,"" she said. ""The stakes are high for the climate for polar bears and coral reefs and we place the blame on, for this meeting, strongly on the shoulders of the United States, Japan and Canada, because they've tried to weaken this protocol too much."" The Climate Action Network, which represents 30 Australian environmental groups, says Australia has failed to show any leadership during the conference. The network's spokeswoman, Anna Reynolds, says the outcome is a disaster for the environment. ""The governments of Australia, the US, Japan and Canada have put in a persistent effort to weaken the Kyoto protocol,"" she said. ""Even though we walked away from the Kyoto protocol meeting three years ago with the right to increase our greenhouse gas emissions that wasn't good enough. ""We have been looking for more loopholes and weak rules and many nations of the world frankly said to those governments that is not good enough and that's why the talks have broken down."" -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------"

" The Prime Minister has refused to rule out using Federal Parliament to reveal the name of the Federal Labor frontbencher who has been named in a Queensland Criminal Justice Commission inquiry. The inquiry, into allegations of electoral rorting, has suppressed the man's name. John Howard has told Channel Nine he will seek advice about whether the frontbencher might be named in Parliament. He has indicated the Government will pursue the Federal Labor Party over Queensland Labor's problems, saying the Labor leader, Kim Beazley, carries some political responsibility for not using his authority to clean things up. ""People are alleging breaches of the law, you've had the Deputy Premier resign, you had somebody sent to jail [and] you've had Federal MPs named,"" Mr Howard said. ""Now everybody's entitled to due process and I'm not going to go overboard about this, but I am going to be emphatic about saying that any attempt by the Labor Party to say 'oh well we've all got the same problem' is quite wrong."" Meanwhile, Queensland Premier Peter Beattie admits the electoral rorts scandal engulfing his Government is driving people away from the Labor Party. Mr Beattie says as a result, around 50 members have resigned from the party in the past few days. He says he understands why they are upset, but hopes the imminent release of the first round of his electoral reforms will stem the tide. ""It's absolutely imperative that I maintain good faith with those people because they are the life-blood of the party, the life-blood of the movement,"" he said. ""I say to them it is absolutely imperative that they stay with me to ensure that this reform package which I will announce over the next few days is in fact implemented and supported."" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------"

" Former Yugoslav president Slobodan Milosevic was re-elected as leader of his Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) during a special party conference in Belgrade on Saturday, SPS officials said. ""Milosevic has been re-elected party president by a large majority, it's official,"" said Zivorad Igic, a high-ranking SPS official. Mr Milosevic won 2,047 votes, representing 86.5 per cent of the ballots cast by 2,368 SPS delegates who attended the conference at Belgrade's Sava Centre, another official said. Mr Milosevic was the only candidate for the position. The official said the exact result would not be officially released until after the end of the session. ""The conference will not wind up before midnight (local time),"" the official said, although he did not rule out they could drag on longer. Mr Milosevic founded the SPS 10 years ago. He plans to consolidate the party's position after its resounding defeat in Yugoslav federal elections in September which saw him lose his post as Yugoslav president. He also hopes to whip the SPS back into fighting form to contest the December 23 elections for the Serbian assembly, the real seat of power in the federation formed by Serbia and the tiny republic of Montenegro. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------"

" Australia maintained its 25-year domination of the rugby league World Cup, beating New Zealand 40-12 in the final at Manchester today. Frank Endacott's Kiwi side battled a dearth of possession and the tough Australian defence, staying within a try of the Australians for 66 minutes. But winger Wendell Sailor's try 14 minutes from the end shut the door on New Zealand's hopes of winning a historic first World Cup in front of 44,329 people in only the Kiwis' second final. Instead, the Kangaroos will remain world champions for the next four years. The Australians led 6-0 at the break and went further ahead in the 44th minute when Kangaroos winger Mat Rogers dragged his opposite number Nigel Vagana into his own in-goal. From the next set of six, young second-rower Nathan Hindmarsh crossed after being put into a gap by his captain Brad Fittler. Rogers' conversion gave the Australians a 12-0 lead. But the Kiwis fought back six minutes later with a try to winger Lesley Vainikolo, making up for some first half fumbles, to bring the score closer at 12-6. The Australians moved further ahead in the 53rd minute when halfback Brett Kimmorley stepped through the tiring defence and, with only fullback Richie Barnett to beat, turned the ball inside to fullback Darren Lockyer to score. However, the Kiwis weren't ready to give up and they struck back with a try down the sideline to centre Tonie Carroll. But the game slipped from New Zealand's grasp with man-of-the-match Sailor's try in the 66th minute. The score blew out when Sailor bagged a double and tries were added by Fittler and his likely successor at five eighth, interchange back Trent Barrett. Rogers kicked six from seven attempts, while Paul kicked two from two."

" Western Australia's Wayne Smith and Greg Chalmers are the biggest movers early in the third round of the Australian Golf Open in Melbourne. Smith has picked up four shots after 16 holes today to be even-par while Chalmers is 5-under-par after 16 holes to be even with the card overall. Tournament leaders Aaron Baddeley and New Zealand's Greg Turner will tee off later this afternoon at 6-under-par, while Greg Norman and Englishman Nick Faldo are expected to draw big galleries as playing partners this afternoon."

" Comments by the Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, that he is considering a proposal to allow women and children to be released from immigration detention centres has drawn support from political rivals. Both the Federal Opposition and the Democrats are in favour of the idea. Concerns for the safety of women and children in the centres have been highlighted following allegations of occurrences of child sexual abuse. Mr Ruddock says although he is considering the idea, he will not guarantee its implementation. Shadow Minister for Immigration, Con Sciacca says Mr Ruddock should move on the issue as a matter of urgency. ""Well there's no doubt at all that it has merit and I would in fact urge him to take that course of action,"" he said. Democrats spokesman on immigration, Andrew Bartlett agrees. ""The Government has been slow but nonetheless any movement, any indication that there's even the potential for them to reconsider is something that the Democrats would welcome,"" he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------"

" The well-known Australian broadcaster Paul Lyneham has died today, aged 55. Paul Lyneham was best known to ABC audiences as the political correspondent for the 7:30 Report. He joined the Nine Network five years ago, making his last appearance in April this year when he revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer. A statement from Channel Nine has paid tribute to Mr Lyneham, describing him as a tough journalist who could ask the bluntest question without making enemies. Paul Lyneham is survived by his wife, author Dorothy Horsfield, and his three children."

" Australia continues to dominate the first Test against the West Indies after two days of the match in Brisbane. The West Indies are 2 for 25 at stumps in their second innings, still trailing Australia by 225. Campbell survived just two balls to be out for a duck while Lara made just 5. Australia was dismissed for 332 today, with Brett Lee top-scoring with 62 not out, Michael Slater made 54 and Adam Gilchrist 48. In domestic cricket, Victoria is in a powerful position after two days of the four day match against South Australia at the MCG. At stumps, Victoria was two for 138 in its second innings, an overall lead of 273. South Australia was dismissed earlier in the day for 96."

" A meeting of health ministers in Sydney today will consider whether to adopt a proposed new set of food labelling standards. The nine Australian ministers and New Zealand's Health Minister will discuss a code prepared by the Australia-New Zealand Food Authority over the last six years. After lengthy consultation and debate between scientists, consumer groups and the food and beverage industries, two key issues remain outstanding: <ul> <li>The industry opposes the proposed new mandatory nutritional information labels, claiming a compulsory system could cost producers up to $400 million a year. <li>The industry is also opposed to compulsory percentage labelling, which would require the amount of a key ingredient, such as fruit in jam, to be disclosed. </ul> ----------------------------------"

" Israel's Deputy Defence Minister Ephraim Sneh has held talks with a senior Palestinian official in the Gaza Strip for the first time since violence broke out nearly two months ago. Officials say Mr Sneh's one hour meeting with Tayeb Abdel Rahim, the secretary-general of the Palestinian Authority, focussed on how to implement the Sharm el-Sheikh accord as soon as possible. An agreement to take steps to end the violence was reached in the Egyptian sea resort town last month but fighting continued. In another development, the United Nations special envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen, has held talks with Yasser Arafat, to discuss the hardships and difficulties faced by the Palestinian people. ""The situation is increasingly desperate and, I would like to add, completely counterproductive to efforts to cool the situation down,"" he said. There is an absolutely urgent need for medicine, medical supplies and ambulances. There's also a need for gas, food, fuel, shelter and clothing. ""I'd like to put it this way living conditions are falling like lead."" ------------------------------------"

" A first half onslaught has led Australia to a comprehensive 73-33 win over South Africa in the first tri-nations netball Test in Cape Town. The world champions turned a tentative opening few minutes into a one-sided mismatch for the hapless South Africans in the first two quarters. Tenacious through-court defence by the Australians enabled them to keep a stranglehold on play. The in-circle defensive play of captain Kathryn Harby and Liz Ellis was a feature, the duo proving almost impenetrable for the struggling South African shooters. South Africa wilted under the relentless pressure, creating a high turnover rate and an avalanche of goals for Australian shooters Sharelle McMahon and Catherine Cox. Australia had the luxury of using all 12 of its team members after the strongest lineup had laid the winning foundation. It strolled to a 39-14 halftime lead but the hosts made slight inroads in the second half as the sting went out of the rearranged Australian lineup. South Africa regained some respectability after losing the second half by five goals but earlier damage inflicted by Australia gave them no chance of recovery. Megan Anderson and Alex Hodge made their international debut for Australia in the second half of the match. ----------------------"

" There have been more legal moves today involving the protracted count of votes in the United States presidential election. It means that two weeks after the election, the world's most influential democracy is still no closer to knowing whether the Democrats' Al Gore or the Republicans' George W Bush will be the next president. Escalating their fight to stop the recounts of votes being included in the final tally for Florida, lawyers for Governor Bush have filed two motions with the US Supreme Court asking it to intervene in the election. Their argument -- the recount being carried out in just a few counties breaches the right of other voters to equal standing in the election. Meanwhile, Vice-President Gore has had a potentially important win in a Florida circuit court, with the judge ruling that the Palm Beach Canvassing Board must consider all ballots where it can reasonably infer voter intent, even if the card has not been punched through. That clears the way for thousands of disputed votes to be considered by the board. But, the Democrats are having to fight another county, Miami Dade, which today decided to discontinue a recount as it couldn't guarantee finalising the count in time for a court order deadline of early next week. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------"

" Telstra has completed investigations into its handling of the Peter Reith Telecard affair. The communications carrier told a Senate estimates committee it wanted to ensure it had followed the proper procedures in dealing with the $50,000 phone bill. John Stanhope says as far as he is aware, Telstra dealt with the Department of Finance and Administration, and had no direct contact with Mr Reith's office. ""We believe right throughout we've handled the Telecard issue that has attracted attention just like we would any other, and with total probity,"" he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- --"

" The National Australia Bank is planning to accelerate digital technology use and expand its United Kingdom operations following the $5 billion sale of one of its American operations. The National Australia Bank is selling Michigan National Corporation to the Dutch bank ABN Amro for $A 5.29 billion. The National says it will reap a net gain of $A2.1 billion dollars. Michigan National is the third biggest banking group in the state of Michigan, and the 68th largest in the US, with assets of $A16 billion. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ------- National Australia Bank shares have been as high as $A30 dollars at 10:00am, on the announcement of the sale."

" It is claimed the inquiry into child sexual abuse allegations at the Woomera Detention Centre in South Australia does not have sufficient powers to find out what is happening at the centre. The Federal Government has announced it will undertake an inquiry into the claims. Australian Refugee Association director Kevin Listrum says they are relieved an official government inquiry is being launched. ""We hope it will bring it into the open and clarify procedures for the future as well, so that we don't have events happening such as what have been happening in the past,"" he said. However, Centacare director Dale West says while it is a step in the right direction a general inquiry is needed into the wider operation of the centre. ""There's an opportunity here to push this to an open inquiry and if its just focusing on the one issue then I think that opportunity may be lost,"" he said. Shadow Immigration Minister Duncan Kerr agrees, saying the terms of reference for Philip Flood to investigate are inadequate. ""He would not have any powers to compel the giving of evidence as I understand it and his terms of reference are quite narrow so while I welcome the inquiry I doubt that it's going to be wide enough,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australian surgeons have today released the first results of a groundbreaking heart surgery procedure. The Austin and Repatriation Medical Centre in Melbourne says the technique could eventually reduce the need for heart transplants. The centre's cardiac team has developed a technique where the heart is wrapped up in a tight polyester mesh to stop the heart muscle from stretching. An enlarged heart is a common symptom of congested heart failure and is often caused by a heart attack, scarring the muscle. Team leader Dr Jay Ramen says the early results of surgery on six patients is positive with the new procedure preventing progression of heart disease, improving symptoms and reducing the heart size. The technique will now go through a full randomised trial in several countries while a United States company has secured the rights to the procedure. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -----"

" Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has expressed regret at Egypt's decision to recall its ambassador from Tel Aviv. The diplomat is returning home for consultations in protest at Israel's massive air and sea strikes on Palestinian targets in Gaza. Mr Barak met Jewish settlers and soldiers in Gaza a day after a roadside bomb killed two Israelis and wounded nine others. Another settler convoy came under Palestinian fire in almost the same spot. The Army says one young man was shot in the head. Israeli soldiers killed three Palestinians in separate clashes in the West Bank and Gaza, the Army killed two other Palestinians it claims were planning terrorist attacks. The Arab world reacted angrily to Monday's strikes on Gaza, Egypt, Israel's oldest Arab peace partner says it is recalling its ambassador indefinitely. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------- But it stresses it is still committed to the peace process."

" There is concern a new wave of water could hit the northern New South Wales town of Gunnedah within days. The State Emergency Service (SES) says it is concerned about the risk of further flooding if rain now falling south of Gunnedah spreads into the headwaters of the Peel and Namoi River systems. The Namoi River reached its peak at Gunnedah overnight and is not expected to drop for some days. Around 30 people have now been evacuated, most are being housed in hotels and motels until they are able to return to their homes. Helicopter drops to isolated properties in the Gunnedah area will begin today. The SES's Colin Howath says the Namoi River reached its peak of close to nine metres faster than expected overnight ""We still had one or two people who tried to stick it out for as long as they could in their homes,"" he said. ""It got to the point we had to ship them out but other than that it was pretty routine, is the way of putting it."" Emergency Services Minister Bob Debus will tour the Namoi Valley today with visits to Gunnedah, Narrabri and Wee Waa, which is already isolated because of flooding resulting from heavy rain last week. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------"

" The United States presidential candidates, Governor George Bush and Vice-President Al Gore, are waiting on a court ruling that could determine their fate. After more than two hours of testimony, the US Supreme Court adjourned to consider whether or not to compel Florida's Secretary of State to include manual recounts, which are now underway in three Florida counties in the final tally for the state. Democrats hope Vice-President Al Gore will collect enough extra ballots in such a process to overcome a lead of more than 900 votes for Governor Bush in figures as they stand. But as the legal battle goes on, there are also signs that the recounts are not yielding enough extra votes to change the result, even if supplementary figures are allowed. ___________________________________________________"

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has defended the Government's decision to put money into roads instead of freezing the fuel excise, saying if he has made the wrong decision he will suffer the consequences. Cabinet will decide today on how much extra the Government will spend on roads. The Prime Minister says the money will be given to local and rural roads instead of being spent on one big project. He says Sydney's Western Orbital road will be effectively separate from this roads package and says there is already enough money in the budget to cover that because the road would be a national highway. Mr Howard says there is little point cutting excise by one or two cents a litre and the Government cannot afford to substantially cut the excise. ""We have conscientiously looked at this and we do think it's a better investment to spend the money on road funding because good roads continue for a long time,"" he said. ""A minor adjustment in the price of petrol can disappear overnight."" ___________________________________________________"

" The State Emergency Service has released figures showing more than a quarter of New South Wales is being affected by flooding. It says the area covered by floodwaters now totals more than 215 thousand square kilometres, with more than 300 people forced to leave their homes. The worst flooding is on the Namoi River and its tributaries in the State's north where bridges have been washed away, crops destroyed and many homes extensively damaged. At Gunnedah, the Namoi River is expected to peak at close to nine metres tonight, forcing more evacuations. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------"

" The United States is urging both Israel and the Palestinian Authority to end attacks following the heaviest Israeli bombardment of Palestinian targets during the past seven weeks of violence. Scores of Palestinians have been wounded in missile strikes on Gaza, Israeli retaliation for an earlier roadside bombing which killed two Jewish settlers and wounded 10, many of them children. Palestinians came under fire from the air and the sea as Israeli helicopters and gunboats unleashed a furious bombardment for two hours. Witnesses say at least 10 missiles struck the Gaza headquarters of the Palestinian Security Forces, also targeted the police academy and the offices of Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's Fatah faction. Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Barak says Fatah is responsible for the bus bombing. ""We find no way but to respond the same way that any other free world democracy would in our case,"" Mr Barak said. Three, little known, militant groups have claimed responsibility for the roadside blast. The Palestinian Authority has denied any involvement and says the latest Israeli strikes underscore the need for an international protection force. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------"

" European Union nations have pledged to provide up to 100, 000 troops for a Rapid Reaction Force. The idea of a rapid reaction force was first raised after the Kosovo conflict and first agreed to by the 15 EU leaders at a summit in Helsinki last year. But it is only now that the promised hardware and personnel have become a reality. Europe has often been criticised by Washington for failing to be able to respond collectively to European crises. Now EU defence ministers say, that for the first time, Europe will be able to make an effective contribution to its own security. The force will not be a standing army, but will be able to be mobilised within 60 days. It will be used mostly for peacekeeping and peacemaking operations. The EU says the new force will operate independently from NATO but NATO will be still be the main guarantor of European territorial defence. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------"

" Racing trainer Clarry Conners has been fined and his horse Skalato stripped of its win in the Caulfield Guineas. Connections will appeal against the decision, which has cost them close to half a million dollars. Racing Victoria stewards last night found that Skalato was presented to race with a prohibited drug in its system. The penalty shocked the horse's trainer and owners, and left them all out of pocket. Conners was fined $12,000 and his son and stable foreman, Heath, $4,000, while the horse was disqualified from the race, costing the owners their share of the $480,000 winner's cheque. Their lawyer, Jeremy Rosenthal says they will challenge the decision. ""We anticipate, unless there's something extraordinary that comes across our way we'll be lodging an appeal within 48 hours,"" he said."

" A new report has found discrimination and prejudice faced by indigenous Australian children is amongst the worst in the world. The study, by the Save the Children Alliance, examined the performance of 27 countries on issues such as health, education and juvenile justice. The author of the report and human rights lawyer, Andrew Johnson, says research shows the infant mortality rate among Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders is three-and-a-half times higher than that of the non-indigenous community. ""What we're finding in Australia is that the gap between the indigenous and the non-indigenous community is still quite wide,"" he said. ""For example, in education, measured in students at 15 in full-time education, for the indigenous community it's 73 per cent, for the non-indigenous community it's 91, so you're seeing a nearly 20 per cent difference in access to education for students in full-time education at 15."" -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------"

" The former owner of the Dreamworld theme park in Queensland has been jailed for seven years after being convicted for fraud offences. Queensland property developer Bruce David Jenkins was convicted in the Victorian Supreme Court of 10 charges relating to a series of frauds against the former OST Friendly Society which was based in Victoria. It was alleged 43-year-old Jenkins used inflated valuations to obtain loans to buy properties, including the Dreamworld theme park in 1988 and 1989. Justice John Coldrey said Jenkins had plundered the funds of OST, which had harmed thousands of members. He said Jenkins used deceptive practices in pursuit of his desire to be a multi-millionaire. Jenkins will be eligible for parole in three-and-a-half years. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ------"

" Israeli Army officials say military and economic action has helped reduce violence in the territories. Israel has closed the major commercial crossing into Gaza, a move one Palestinian Minister called 'political suffocation'. Palestinians in Gaza rely on imports of food, fuel and other goods, but with the Karni crossing closed there are fears that supplies already short could run out in a few days. The Israeli Government last week froze millions of dollars in tax revenue due to the Palestinian Authority. It says it will resume payments only when Palestinians abide by signed peace agreements. A Palestinian Minister says the economic squeeze could backfire on Israel by fueling resentment. But Israel's Army chief, Lieutenant General Shaul Mofaz, says military and economic blockades of the territories and targeted attacks on alleged Palestinian militia leaders are working. The army reports a three-quarter drop over the weekend in shooting attacks. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------"

" Japan's Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori faces a no confidence vote tonight that is too close to call. If all of the factions of his own party who have pledged to cross the floor and vote against the Prime Minister tonight do so, Mr Mori will lose the vote and be forced to either step down as Japan's Prime Minister or call a new election. Mr Mori's party machine is exerting heavy pressure on members of those factions not to cross the floor, saying they will be expelled from the party and forced into an election they will not win. The challenger, former diplomat and economic reformer Koichi Kato, says that will not happen. He says expulsions and an election would be suicidal. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------------"

" Republicans have stepped up their criticism of the on-going manual recounts in three Florida counties, which could decide the next president of the United States. With the deadline for absentee ballots now passed and George W Bush's lead stretched to more than 900 votes, Republicans are frustrated at an order preventing any certification of the result until the Florida Supreme Court can settle what votes should be included in the final tally. Today, aides to Governor Bush renewed their criticism of the conduct of hand counts now underway in the State, saying there was clear evidence ballots were being tampered with to favour Vice-President Al Gore. Republicans have also accused Democrat counties in Florida of seeking to disqualify large numbers of absentee ballots for Governor Bush. A spokesman for Mr Gore rejected the charges as raw, crass partisan politics."

" Evacuations are expected to begin at Gunnedah, west of Tamworth, as the Namoi River begins to flood following days of heavy rain. The State Emergency Service is expecting major flooding at Gunnedah within 24 hours and will begin moving people from low lying homes in the town this afternoon. At Tamworth, flood levels in the Peel River have dropped and are now making their way west to join flooded streams and rivers flowing into the Namoi River further west. The State Emergency Service has expressed concern at the latest weather forecasts for the region where severe storm activity is expected again today, with the potential to send another surge of water through the already saturated catchment. The major highways are still open but some have water over them, and many back roads are closed. Meanwhile, in Queensland, moderate to heavy rain has fallen in most regions over the past 24 hours. A torrential downpour in Charleville overnight has caused local flooding, with police keeping a close eye on nearby rivers which are starting to swell. The road is still closed at Ward River between Charleville and Quilpie and police say they will probably have to shut down the road to Augathella sometime this morning as well. Flood warnings are current for the Paroo, Warrego, Thompson, Barcoo, Macintyre and Connors rivers. The weather bureau's Geoff Doule says most districts have had their fair share of rain. ""Just to the south of Mackay around St Lawrence they've had in the order of 60 mm of rain and there has also been some very active thunderstorms in the Longreach, Charleville and even getting down to St.George,"" he said. ""Charleville's recorded a further 66 mm overnight. And the tropical areas they haven't really escaped either, there has been some pretty good falls up there as well."" The bureau's predicting the rain will continue until early in the week and may even worsen in area north of Mackay."

" The coming-of-age film, Looking for Alibrandi, has taken out the major prizes at the Australian Film Industry Awards last night. Looking for Alibrandi won five awards, including best film, best adapted screenplay, best editing, best supporting actress for Greta Scacchi and newcomer Pia Miranda was genuinely surprised by her best actress award. ""I really loved it cause it didn't patronise young people, it showed a young girl with inspiration and a dream and she had brains and that's really great,"" she said. Best Actor went to Eric Bana for his portrayal of the infamous hitman and author Mark Chopper Read. "" I just tried to be him. You know the job, a film like that is to be anyone other than your self,"" he said. ""I am so bloody relieved cause never in my life have I been favourite for anything."" Chopper also took out best director for Andrew Dominik and best supporting actor for Simon Lyndon. The modern musical, Bootmen, claimed the honours for best costume, best cinematography, best sound and best music score categories, while Russian Doll won best original screenplay. The ABC's Grass Roots was the big TV winner taking out five AFI's, including best episode in a drama series and best screenplay."

" The ABC has confirmed it commissioned a report to explore ways of pursuing commercial opportunities for the national broadcaster. The report was written Keith Bales, an Australian marketing consultant based in Britain. A front page story in today's Australian newspaper claims the ABC board has given managing director Jonathon Shier approval to pursue a co-branded credit card, and says the Commonwealth Bank has indicated an interest in becoming the partner bank. It also claims there are proposals to create a commercial web site with links to services like online banking, shopping and travel, and plans to license food like breakfast cereals and easter eggs based on Bananas in Pyjamas. A corporate spokesman refused to coment on anything contained in the report but says the the organisation is talking to a number of people in the new media environment and there is no player the ABC is not prepared to hold talks with."

" The Federal Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Peter Reith, has unveiled a controversial discussion paper outlining proposals for a completely new Industrial Relations system. Mr Reith has told a Business Council of Australia seminar that there is a need for a simpler federal system based on certified workplace agreements. He says the current abitration and conciliation system is too costly. ""We have said in the discussion papers we're going to keep the commission, we're going to keep awards, the unions will have rights to collectively bargain,"" he said. But the New South Wales Attorney-General, Jeff Shaw, says the proposed national system would be frought with legal and political problems in federal-state relations. While Democrats Workplace Relations spokesman Senator Andrew Murray says he supports a federal system, he says it would have to ensure human rights are protected."

" Immigration officials and police are questioning a group of detainees at Western Australia's Port Hedland Detention Centre about a series of fires lit early this morning in the facility's buildings. Emergency services were called to the centre about 2:30am WST when the first fire was found in the reception area. After that blaze was extinguished, four other fires were lit in other areas of the complex. No-one was hurt in the fires. The immigration department's Phil Mayne says he understands that those responsible for starting the fires will be charged by police. ""Apparently the fires were lit by people whose protection visa applications were rejected by the Refugee Review Tribunal,"" he said. ""In other words, those people who had applied for asylum."""

" Telstra chairman Bob Mansfield has defended the company's struggling share price at the annual general meeting in Melbourne. T2 shareholders booked paper losses and the stock is trading below $7 compared to over $9 early last year. But Mr Mansfield has told the meeting that Telstra share prices are at the same level as six months ago, compared to United States telcos, which are down an average of 20 per cent. On service standards, the chairman quoted from the generally positive Besley report but omitted to say that rural service standards were criticised, prompting the Government to pledge there would be no further privatisation, until the problems were addressed. Shareholders are concerned the Federal Government, as the majority shareholder, will install the directors it wants at today's meeting. Shareholder ""Pat"" has these concerns. ""I do have concerns about the amounts paid to senior executive and board members whilst putting off staff,"" he said. ""The fact is that this not only affects the staff but it affects the service that we, the users, get. So that definitely concerns me."" -------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------"

" The Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson says he does not believe farmers are whingers and he has warned farming leaders they should present a balanced view of what the Federal Government is doing for the sector. The National Farmers Federation is continuing its push for a freeze on the fuel excise, a case they say is supported by the projected budget surplus. But Mr Anderson says the campaign ignores the real cause of the high fuel prices. He says he is angry the Federation has not given the government credit for the gains made in the bush. ""Farmers are not whingers, I do not believe that and I fully support them in their difficult battle,"" he said. ""But they need to be careful that their farm leaders are not always looking as though it's just a handout and never 'thanks for the things that you've done'. ""And many of the things that we've done have been done because farm leaders have pushed them so hard, from tax reform through to economic management through to salinity packages."" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------"

" Today's annual general meeting of Telstra has been clouded by shareholder disquiet, even before it begins. The Australian Shareholders Association is refusing to vote on the election of new directors, saying the Federal Government has already decided them. The group, representing small investors, says the Government has used its majority holding to install the four directors, all top business people, it wants. That would cut out other candidates, among them, a shareholder activist, a union leader, an Olympics coach and a schoolteacher. Association spokesman Stan Mather says no problem can be addressed by investors going along and voting, which he says highlights the need for full privatisation. ""There will be someone at the meeting, holding a proxy on behalf of the government, and any motions they want passed will be passed, regardless of what the other shareholders say,"" he said. Other issues likely to be raised include service standards, investment strategies and the weakening share price. ____________________________________________"

" Fiji remains in a state of uncertainty following Wednesday's ruling by a High Court Judge that the 1997 pre-coup constitution is still in place. The judge ruled that former president Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara is still President and should appoint a Prime Minister as soon as possible. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara is in New Zealand having a regular medical check up and is expected to return to Fiji at the weekend. The interim government says it is still in charge and that there will be an appeal against Judge Gates' ruling. The divisions within the High Court are stark. In his judgement, Judge Gates was highly critical of the Chief Justice and two other Judges whom he said could be criticised for aiding and abetting the abrogation of the Constitution and acting with what he called indecent haste to see it gone. ____________________________________________"

" The leaders of the Asia Pacific are debating the details of a new round of world trade liberalisation. Australian Prime Minister John Howard is criticising the plans of Malaysia and the United States. The APEC leaders, all wearing blue silk shirts, are spending a day in talks under the chairmanship of the Sultan of Brunei. Mr Howard says Malaysia's call for agenda changes in the World Trade Organisation risks losing focus and momentum. But Mr Howard is also attacking the United States' effort to introduce environmental and labour issues into a new trade round. ""If you want to enlist the aid of developing countries, you don't intrude those issues into a trade forum, it's a mistake,"" he said. ""Now if that puts me at odds, on that aspect of things, with the United States, then so be it."""

" The United States and four other APEC countries have reached a trans-Pacific open-skies agreement, lifting all restrictions on the operation of airlines from within each other's territory. The agreement was completed by the United States, Brunei, Chile, New Zealand and Singapore during the APEC meeting in Brunei. Open-skies removes restrictions on where carriers fly, the number of flights they operate, and the prices they charge."

" The Federal Government is expecting stronger economic growth and a bigger surplus than forecast at Budget time. Higher world growth and the lower Australian dollar are the driving factors behind a higher than expected growth rate at 4 per cent for this financial year, but it is expected to moderate in the years ahead as factors like higher interest rates take hold. The budget surplus is up, as well, to $4.3 billion as the result of a higher tax take, particularly from company tax. Employment is expected to be stronger, with unemployment slightly down, averaging 6.25 per cent. But amongst the good news is the prediction inflation will be higher than originally forecast with the headline rate averaging 6 per cent and when the effects of the GST are taken out, averaging 3.25 per cent. The Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, is optimistic about the outlook for unemployment. ""I would expect in the next financial year, if we keep the current growth rates continuing, you will see an unemployment rate with a five in front of it, which would be the lowest unemployment rate in 25 years,"" he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------"

" Florida's chief electoral official has announced Republican George Bush has won a re-count in that state by 300 votes, excluding only overseas ballots which must be in by the weekend. But the legal wrangling is continuing. A week after the United States election ended in deadlock, Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris announced the results with Governor George Bush, 2,910,492, and Vice-President Al Gore, 2,910,192. But the Democrats continue to push for hand recounts in several counties and today a court declared any amended results should be considered by officials. However, Ms Harris says she wants the three counties preparing to hold such recounts to put their case justifying such a process by tomorrow or the existing figures will stand. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------"

" Pat Rafter and Lleyton Hewitt have been named in Australia's Davis Cup tennis squad for the final against Spain next month. The squad of nine also includes Mark Woodforde and Sandon Stolle, who are likely to play doubles in the tie. Australian captain John Newcombe says Hewitt will be fit for the final, despite withdrawing from the Paris Masters overnight with a virus. ""The doctor said he should take this week off because he's just not going to get better unless he rests his body up,"" he said. ""But I don't think there's any doubt at all that he will be 100 per cent ready for Davis Cup."" ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------"

" After a week of waiting, Americans appear to be no closer to knowing who will replace William Jefferson Clinton next year in the White House. The fight for the United States presidency, between Democrat Vice-President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W Bush, has come down to the results in one state, Florida. After days of turmoil and legal action, a Florida court today upheld a deadline for an end to the contentious vote count. However, allowing the deadline to stand, the court also left the way open for a manual recount of votes. Democrats had gone to court seeking an extension of today's deadline, which would make it all but impossible for several counties to hold or complete time consuming hand counts of ballots. But despite failing to get such an extension, Mr Gore's aides have seized on the judge's direction that although results after today can be rejected, officials can not do so arbitrarily. Democrat lawyer David Bios said: ""What the judge said is that under the statute, she could not simply say it ends at 5:00pm, that is arbitrary."" The Florida Secretary of State's office says it still expects to certify results today, and says any decision on late returns will not be on a case by case basis. Lawyer Donna Blanton said: ""But we're not going to speak of what facts or what circumstance would constitute her to exercise her discretion in a particular fashion. ""We don't know at the moment what counties may say to us after 5 o'clock today."" -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------------------"

" Foreign Minister Alexander Downer is continuing an historic trip to the North Korean capital, Pyongyang. While this is a largely symbolic trip, ending 25 years of diplomatic isolation, there are serious messages the Foreign Minister wants his host to hear. The north must halt its missile and nuclear weapons programs and end 50 years of festering tension with the south. Mr Downer will also meet trade officials, visit the United Nations aid projects, including a childrens' biscuit factory, and he will meet Australians from the Snowy Mountains electricity corporation, who are working on Pyongyang's water system. Mr Downer is bearing a gift for the leader, a large photo of the joint Korean OIympic team entering the stadium in Sydney just two months ago. He will leave Pyongyang for Hong Kong tomorrow. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------"

" French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin has announced an increased ban on beef products as public concern grows over the spread of mad cow disease. Reacting to increased public and political pressure, Mr Jospin has announced a suspension of all animal based feed for livestock and an immediate ban on T-bone steak. The ban comes just weeks after it was revealed that meat from a herd infected with bse, or mad cow disease, was sold in three French supermarkets. The revelation had caused widespread consumer panic in France, a nation well known for its love of beef. Beef sales have plummeted, beef has been taken off the menu in schools and French farmers have called for compensation. The French Government was initially reluctant to issue a ban for fear of spreading consumer anxiety but the French President Jacques Chirac, a political opponent of the Prime Minister, had made considerable political mileage out of the issue. Mr Jospin has also promised more money for testing and research. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------"

" The battle for AFL broadcasting rights is intensifying, with confirmation that negotiations are well underway. The league is keen to make a final decision before Christmas but chief executive Wayne Jackson will not confirm that Channel 9 and Foxtel have made a joint bid for the broadcast rights. However, Mr Jackson says free-to-air television coverage of AFL games will be protected, regardless of who wins the rights. ""We're sufficiently advanced in our negotiations to be very confident that there will be as much free-to-air football on television going forward as there has been in the past,"" he said. ___________________________________________________"

" An expected post-Olympic revival in Australian business activity has seemingly failed to materialise. The National Australia Bank has described as ""disappointing"" its latest survey of business conditions. The release of the bank's October business survey follows yesterday's semi-annual statement from the Reserve Bank, with its forecast of a slowdown ahead for the economy. It also comes after the more dire warning from business information provider Dun and Bradstreet of a possible recession next year. The National's survey indicates a further deterioration in business conditions in October, even after a big drop-off in the Olympic month of September. ""That's fairly disappointing and we're just going to have to watch it because if conditions continue to disappoint then confidence is going to follow it down,"" the bank's chief economist Alan Oster said. Mr Oster says official interest rates could now remain on hold until the second half of next year, when they might even be eased. ___________________________________________________"

" A noted economist has raised the spectre of a recession next year. This follows a new survey showing business confidence is falling faster than in the lead-up to the 1991 recession. The Dun and Bradstreet poll of 900 firms shows another sharp drop in October of expectations for increased sales, selling prices, profits and employment. Pollsters blame concerns over the weak Australian dollar, high fuel prices, interest rate uncertainty, and goods and services tax compliance. The Reserve Bank, Federal Government and most private-sector economists see growth as moderating, but still not far short of 4 per cent, into next year. But Dun and Bradstreet's consulting economist Duncan Ironmonger says if the external shocks continue, business pessimism itself could produce a recession. ""It's only got to get that to continue for another few more months, and we will be seeing a very slowly growing economy, and it could even be a negative, which if we have it for six months, would be [in] a recession,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------"

" Rescue teams in Austria have been recovering bodies from the scene of last weekend's alpine train disaster, in which more than 155 people died. Authorities say they still have no idea what caused the fire. Almost two days after the fire on the funicular ski train in the Austrian Alps killed at least 159 people, rescue workers have finally begun to retrieve the bodies of the victims. Attempts to reach the train had been hampered by smoke and poisonous fumes and by fears that the burnt-out wreckage could be unstable. The recovered bodies have been taken to nearby Salzburg for DNA testing. The heat of the blaze was so intense that most of the bodies are said to have been burnt beyond recognition and pathologists say it could take up to four weeks to complete the identification process. Investigators say they still have no idea what caused the blaze and have refused to comment on speculation that it could have been caused by sabotage or by a short circuit, or even by fireworks carried by passengers. -------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------"

" Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and President Bill Clinton have ended a two hour meeting in Washington, but the outcome of the talks remains unknown. Mr Barak gave few details of the meeting, which was aimed at ending violence in the Middle East and implementing the peace deal with the Palestinians that was reached at an emergency summit in Egypt last month. However, Mr Barak said he would not be pressured into making more concessions to the Palestinians. The talks follow a day of continuing clashes on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in which four Palestinians were killed and a UN convoy was attacked. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------"

" Legal moves are taking centre stage in Florida - the state that will determine the outcome of the American presidential election. Lawyers for Republican candidate George W Bush will be asking a judge to rule manual recounts unfair, following a sample hand recount that favoured Democrat Vice-President Al Gore. Although Governor Bush is still marginally ahead in Florida, his camp is clearly worried about the possibility that hand recounting could give Mr Gore enough extra votes to award him the presidency. His lawyers are going to the Federal Court to argue that the manual counts are unconstitutional. Governor Bush's spokesman James Baker said the country was on a slippery slope. But Mr Gore's team is maintaining that these painstaking scrutinies of each and every ballot sheet are both constitutional and necessary to establish exactly which way Florida intended to vote. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------"

" Authorities in Kaprun in Austria have established the identities of most of the people who were killed in the weekend fire in an Alpine train tunnel. The names have not yet been released, but of the 155 victims known to have died, the vast majority were Austrians and Germans and many were children. Ten Japanese skiers are also believed to be among the dead and eight members of the US military and their families. Emergency teams have begun the task of recovering the badly burned remains so forensic tests can help the process of identification."

" The three Australians have all received byes into the second round at the Tennis Masters series in Paris. Patrick Rafter, fresh from his finals appearance in Lyon and back to some encouraging form ahead of next months Davis Cup final in Spain, will meet either Zimbabwe's Byron Black or French wildcard Julian Be in the second round. Lleyton Hewett will play either American Michael Chang, or Frenchman Arnold Depas, and a win will almost certainly cement his place in the eight strong field for the Masters Cup, while Mark Philippoussis will clash with Slovakia's Dominik Hrbaty or Swiss star Roger Federer. Defending champion Andrew Agassi will decide on Wednesday whether to play after suffering a hip injury in Lyon."

" The Australian Government's policy to force developing nations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has been slammed by environmentalists. Environment Minister Robert Hill is representing Australia at a meeting in the Hague, which aims to develop global rules for meeting greenhouse gas targets set in Kyoto three years ago. Australia will push for countries like China, India and Brazil to be included in any agreement to lower emissions. But Anna Reynolds from the Climate Action Network says it is ridiculous for big polluters like the US, Canada and Australia to expect developing countries to clean up their act, when their own emissions are increasing. ""China for example, its emissions have dropped and india which is another big developing nation, their emissions are not increasing at the same rate as Australia's, so it's very hypocritical and greedy for us to be targeting these countries when we still have a lot to do here at home,"" she said."

" The Reserve Bank Governor, Ian Macfarlane, says he is confident the Australian dollar will recover, but has ruled out using official interest rates to prop it up for its own sake. He is not concerned by recent weak economic data. Addressing a Melbourne business function last night, Mr Macfarlane was bullish over the dollar. ""It can't keep moving forever in one direction if inflation is under control,"" Mr Macfarlane. He said one reason for the lack of capital flows into Australian assets is the country's ""old economy"" image, which is invalid and will not last. While the dollar's link to the sliding euro will not continue indefinitely. Interest rate rises generally boost a currency, but Mr Macfarlane stressed the medium-term inflation outlook would continue to drive monetary policy. ""We have no intention of departing from out medium term approach in an ad hoc attempt to push up the exchange rate for its own sake,"" Mr Macfarlane said. Despite recent weak data on retail sales, job vacancies and jobs growth, he said the Reserve stands by its forecast of 4 per cent plus economic growth in the coming year. Mr Macfarlane, had this observation on the market's response to Tuesday's US election. ""Everytime Bush pulled ahead, the US dollar went up, and everytime Gore pulled ahead, the US dollar went down,"" Mr Macfarlane said. ""That doesn't mean in my view, that does not imply any assessment of the personal worth of the two parties concerned, but that was the way the foreign exchange markets were behaving."""

" Investigations are continuing into what is alleged to be the largest automatic teller machine (ATM) fraud in Australia. Three men and a woman have been charged following the discovery of about $4 million of cash in a house at Kilburn in suburban Adelaide. Detectives from the Serious Fraud Investigation Branch found the money under the floorboards of the house yesterday. The home was one of several raided in the northern suburbs as part of extensive investigations into the alleged theft of millions of dollars from ATM machines throughout Adelaide over the past three months. Four people believed to be from the same family, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court yesterday each charged with one count of conspiracy to steal. Police say they are still hunting for at least two more people. The four did not apply for bail and have been remanded in custody until their next court appearance next week."

" An Israeli rocket has been fired into the Palestinian town of Beit Sahour, killing at least one man and seriously wounding four more. The attack appeared not to have been preceded by any fighting in the area. The missile struck a small truck in a valley in Beit Sahour, a town adjoining Bethlehem. A helicopter could be heard overhead for some minutes before the attack, but there was no gunfire in the area at the time. The driver of the vehicle Hussein Abayed, 37, was killed. Another man appeared fatally wounded. The attack comes just hours before Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat is to meet United States President Bill Clinton with Israel demanding Palestinians end the violence. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Reserve Bank Governor says official interest rates will not be raised simply to prop up the weak Australian dollar. Australia's top central banker Ian Macfarlane was addressing a business study in Melbourne. Mr Macfarlane says the currency has behaved this year in a way no-one could have predicted as a higher exchange rate would tend to flow from a bouyant domestic economy, rising commodity prices and higher interest rates. He said the reasons the currency has fallen is the stronger United States dollar and the reduced overseas demand for Australian bonds. Australia's image as an old economy was also brought up in the address and Mr Macfarlane said Australia rated highly in the spending of and usage of new technology. ____________________________________________________________________"

" For the second consecutive year a John Hawkes trained horse has won the Victoria Oaks race at Flemington. Lovelorn won the race from the horse that was ridden by Melbourne Cup hero Kerrin McEvoy, Lan Kwai Fong. The Hayes trained Lolita Star came in third. The Hayes family will have to wait another year for a shot at the one feature race that has eluded them, after LoveLorn outstayed the pack in the $500,000 Oaks race. The John Hawkes trained filly was at 15-1 at the beginning of the day but by the start of the race was out to 20-1. John Hawkes was not at the track to see his third Oaks win. His son Wayne Hawkes says he always thought Loverlorn always had the ability to win the 2500-metres race. It is the biggest win of the spring carnival for jockey Brett Prebble. ____________________________________________________________________"

" It is election day in the United States and everyone agrees the result remains too close to call. The US election campaign is over, today Americans will have their chance to say what they think of Democrat Vice-President Al Gore and Republican George W Bush. As well as voting for a new occupant of the White House, the other end of Pensylvannia Avenue is also up for grabs. All 435 seats in the House of Representatives are being contested in this election, plus one-third of the Senate. A handful of seats will decide both congressional race. Republicans hold control. In his last rally of the campaign, Mr Gore, in his home town of Carthage, Tennessee, urged Americans to keep a Democrat in the White House and give his party control of the Congress. Mr Gore had just ended a manic 30-hour dash through key swinging states in the hope his 13-year long pursuit of the presidency is realised today. As the Republican party staged a massive get out the vote drive across the country, Mr Bush settled into the Governor's mansion in Austin, Texas, to wait for the outcome of a race he began in the middle of last year. Governor Bush says he is relaxed and confident, but said he had to reassure his nervous parents in a phone call this morning. ""They were nervous because they haven't seen what I've seen,"" Mr Bush said. ""For example, obviously last night in north-west Arkansas was a huge crowd. ""Secondly, it's much harder to be the loved one, than it is the candidate."" The Governor did do some campaigning from home, calling radio stations in key west coast states of Oregon, Washington and California, where Governor Bush is hoping for an election clinching upset. Meanwhile, Hillary Clinton is favoured to win the race for the Senate seat representing New York. If successful, she would become the only first lady to win a Senate seat while her husband was still in office. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Queensland Transport Minister Steve Bredhauer is quietly confident attempts today to refloat the Malaysian container ship, aground on the Great Barrier Reef, will work. The 25,000-tonne vessel has spent the past six days stuck on Sudbury Reef, about 22 nautical miles south-east of Cairns. Mr Bredhauer says fuel and ballast was yesterday moved to the rear of the ship in preparation for today's attempted refloat. ""I guess I'm quietly confident,"" he said. ""Both the representatives of the salvage operators and the experts in my maritime division have indicated that they believe there's a strong likelihood that this afternoon's refloat will be successful. ""So on that basis I'm working on the basis that by about 7:00 tonight, or a little thereafter, we'll be seeing the vessel come free of the reef."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The salvage operation on the Russian nuclear submarine Kursk has ended, despite the recovery of only 12 of the 118 bodies thought to be on board. Conditions were deemed too hazardous for the operation to continue. The salvage operation has been terminated after 18 days and the recovery of 12 bodies. The divers held a ceremony in memory of the 118 men who died on the submarine and then the offshore platform ship which served for the base for the operation departed for Norway. The Russian Navy says it ended the operation because it was becoming too dangerous for the divers. Though they had been able to enter the rear compartments of the submarine, gaining access to the middle section was more difficult. The Navy also says that continuing could jeopardise the lifting of the submarine, scheduled for next year. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Commonwealth Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) is reviewing his decision last year to drop fraud charges against former Senator Mal Colston. The DPP says the decision to drop the 28 travel fraud charges was made on expert medical advice that Dr Colston was unfit to stand trial at the time, and that there was no prospect he would be fit in the future. The director says the decision to review the charges was made before the Federal Opposition raised the matter in parliament yesterday. Labor's Shadow Justice Minister, Duncan Kerr, had called on the DPP to reinstate the charges, claiming Dr Colston is in good enough health to go through a court trial. However, the wife of former Senator Mal Colston has disputed claims her husband is well enough to face charges related to the travel rorts scandal. Dawn Colston says the claims are absurd as her husband is very sick. ""For a period of three months on and off he was in hospital; this year for periods of three weeks and a month at a time having procedures done,"" she said. ""His health and quality of life is not good so I don't know what Duncan Kerr is basing this on."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has denied it has downgraded investigations into child sex tourism offences overseas. The AFP has shut down a specialist unit formed to investigate such offences. Operation Morocco was established after Federal Parliament enacted laws making it possible to prosecute in Australia a resident who travels overseas to engage in sex with children. The Attorney-General, Daryl Williams, says the AFP has decided to shut down the team as a separate unit. ""Any decision taken to allocate or reallocate resources is a matter for the AFP,"" he said. ""It is not subject to political decision-making or interference."" A spokesman for the AFP says the work of the Operation Morocco team will continue. He says allegations will be assessed by a case management centre and allocated to investigation teams, as is done in other areas of AFP work. The Shadow Justice Minister, Duncan Kerr, says shutting down the unit sends the wrong signal to paedophiles and would-be sex tourists. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The US presidential election race is being described as the closest since John F Kennedy beat Richard Nixon in 1960. The battle between Texas Governor George W Bush and Vice-President Al Gore is also being described as the most expensive in US history. According to the Centre for Responsive Politics, a Washington think-tank, $US3 billion has been poured into the presidential and congressional races. Spending has increased by 50 per cent on what was an astonishingly expensive campaign four years ago. Analysts say the closeness of both the presidential and congressional races and the booming US economy have helped donors from all sorts of special interest groups and lobbies open their coffers. Actress Jane Fonda was one of the larger individual donors, contributing $US12 million to a group backing abortion rights. Both candidates are in the middle of an intense final campaign blitz with only hours until election day. Although polls continue to show a tight to moderate lead for Governor Bush, the picture in key states remains uncertain. Mr Gore began a 30-hour campaign sprint to the finish in Iowa, urging supporters at a rally to get the Democrat vote out. ""I'll end with the saying that's never been more appropriate, early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and organise, thank you,"" he said. Mr Gore will also hit Missouri and Florida before ending his campaign in Tennessee. Governor Bush, who held the last of five rallies in Florida this morning, has a campaign schedule that includes Tennessee and Arkansas, the respective home states of Mr Gore and President Bill Clinton. He will fly home to Texas this evening. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister has increased the pressure on Queensland's Premier over allegations of vote rorting within Labor ranks, asking him to widen the Criminal Justice Commission's (CJC) powers so it can investigate federal electoral activities. John Howard has referred allegations of electoral rorting in federal campaigns to the Australian Federal Police (AFP). Mr Howard wrote to Peter Beattie last night asking him to consider amending the CJC's legislation so that the Shepherdson inquiry, which is currently investigating allegations of rorting in state seats, can also examine claims relating to federal electorates. The CJC has no jurisdiction over federal matters. As a result of a referral from the Prime Minister, the AFP is investigating allegations that rorting helped former Labor minister, Michael Lavarch win the seat of Fisher in the 1987 election. Meanwhile, overnight, former Labor MP Brian Courtice claimed vote rigging in the seat of Hinkler was responsible for his loss to the National Party in 1984, a claim the Nationals have denied. ----------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The operation to separate Siamese twins Jodie and Mary, which was opposed in the British High Court by their parents, is continuing in Britain. The court ruled that the operation should proceed,in order to save the life of one of the twins, even though it means the certain death of the other. A surgical team of 20 are performing the complex operation, which has attracted international attention after a unique hearing in the British High Court. The court ruled in effect that it was lawful to end the life of one child to save the other, and have consented to the operation despite the parents' opposition. Both children would have died without the separation. If the procedure is successful, the stronger child Jodi has the chance of a relatively normal life."

" Federal National Party leader John Anderson is standing firm against the Queensland National Party's demand for a freeze on the petrol excise next February. The Queensland National's Central Council further increased the pressure on the Federal Government yesterday when it voted unanimously to demand an excise freeze. Western Australian Premier Richard Court also vowed to keep up pressure, although the push he led at last week's Premiers' Conference was defeated. Mr Anderson insists the Government cannot afford to freeze excise because doing so would put pressure on interest rates. ""We do it not because we don't care, not because we're not conscious of the pain,"" he said. ""I'm a farmer in one of the most rural electorates and most rural parts of the country. ""I know first hand and from being told by my constituents what a concern it is, but I also know when given the choice the first thing people say to me is whatever you do don't lose control of the economic levers, we cannot afford any more pressure on interest rates at the moment."" -----------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The latest survey of business expectations suggests a pronounced drop-off in activity is looming for many individual enterprises. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry has published the results of a national survey, indicating improved sentiment about the economy as a whole. But businesses are feeling increasingly gloomy about their own prospects for sales, profits and employment. The chamber's chief executive, Mark Paterson, says that most worryingly, more firms than not are planning to cut back on investment. ""People are thinking about the economy generally and saying, `things are fine, but I'm doing it tough',"" he said. ""Now this is more than 2,000 businesses, every size, every industry sector, so it is saying that the impact of interest rate changes, the impact of the Australian dollar, is having an effect."" The survey results come ahead of tomorrow's Melbourne Cup day meeting of the Reserve Bank Board. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" An organic garden pesticide widely considered safe for human health and harmless for the environment may cause Parkinson's disease, scientists fear. Lab rats intravenously injected with Rotenone, a plant-based pesticide used to eliminate unwanted insects, kill ticks on household pets and cull pond fish in water management programs, developed Parkinson's-like symptoms and brain damage, they report. Parkinson's, which strikes about 1 per cent of all people over the age of 65, is a notorious degenerative disease characterised by shaking, immobility and difficulty in speaking. Famous sufferers include Pope John Paul II, Muhammad Ali and screen actor Michael J Fox. Some cases of Parkinson's have been pinned to genes, but most cases remain unexplained, causing scientists to ponder whether there could be an environmental factor. The scientists, from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, report their work in the December issue of Nature Neuroscience, a US specialist journal. They say the degeneration occurred in dopamine-containing neurons in the substantia nigra, part of the brain that helps to coordinate movements. The rats developed clumpy proteins, called Lewy bodies, in this area and also suffered some of the characteristic symptoms of Parkinson's. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Mark Waugh has rejected the allegations. Waugh took time out from the Australian team camp on Queensland's Sunshine Coast to stand by statements made in earlier inquiries. ""I'd just like to say that these unsubstantiated allegations from India are totally untrue,"" he said. ""I've been through two inquiries, the Pakistan inquiry and the Regan inquiry and all my evidence is there. ""But of course I'm willing to cooperate to any further investigations with the ACB or the ICC."""

" Efforts to refloat a Malaysian container ship that has run aground on the Great Barrier Reef have been hampered by a poor high tide. Air and sea exclusion zones are in place to avoid interference with the refloating effort. The ship has been stuck on Sudbury Reef, 22 nautical miles south-east of Cairns, since 7:25am AEST this morning, and all efforts to refloat it have so far been fruitless. Several agencies are involved in the attempt including the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority and the Maritime Division of Queensland Transport. There is still no word on exactly what type of dangerous chemicals may be on board, but it has been confirmed the cargo is a safe distance from the damaged part of the hull. State Transport Minister Steve Bredhauer says it is not likely this afternoon's growing winds will affect the refloating attempt. ""The vessel and all of its cargo does appear to be well intact and we're not anticipating that the weather would play a significant role in changing that situation,"" he said."

" The Finance Minister, John Fahey, has rejected Labor claims that first-time shareholders did not understand the potential losses when they bought Telstra Two shares. The Federal Opposition says shareholders in Telstra Two have made a loss ""on paper"" of $1.02 per share or $153 on the minimum shareholding. Mr Fahey says small and first-time shareholders were not misled. ""The Government made it abundantly clear that when the prospectus was issued for the sale of shares in the second tranche of Telstra that all who sought to invest should seek their own advice, seek the advice of a broker, they should read the prospectus carefully,"" he said. ""It's also clear that the overwhelming majority of those who invested in Telstra saw it as a medium or long-term investment."""

" Official figures just released show Australian consumers spent record amounts during the Olympic Games. Retail trade rose by a seasonally-adjusted 0.8 per cent during September to $12.76 billion dollars. The Bureau of Statistics estimates the Games delivered a net boost to retailers of $170 million. Phil Naylor of the Australian Retailers Association says overall, the sector remains reasonably buoyant, but sales growth is slowing. ""A lot of retailers, especially those in Sydney, had one of their poorest trading months during the Olympics because no-one was shopping, they were all watching the Olympics or at the Olympics,"" he said. ""So whilst there was a lot of sales done, souvenir-type sales done as a result of the Olympics, that may well have just been a substitution for trade that was lost by other retailers."""

" Meanwhile, a squad of elite former Scotland Yard investigators has joined the battle to fight corruption in cricket. The head of the International Cricket Council's anti-corruption unit, Sir Paul Condon, says he will closely examine the evidence collected by Indian investigators and liaise with other national cricket boards. Sir Paul has recruited three senior investigators from Scotland Yard with extensive experience in anti-terrorism, as well as an expert on information technology to staff his anti-corruption unit. ""Anyone involved in malpractice should realise now that there is one; there is a resolve within world cricket to do something about it, and two; we now have the capacity to do something about it in a way that we didn't two or three years ago,"" he said. Sir Paul says he has an unqualified commitment from the national cricket governing bodies to stamp out corruption, and that he will be liaising with them over the latest report from Indian authorities."

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has indicated frustration with state leaders over tomorrow's Premiers Conference. State and territory leaders are insisting that petrol prices should be on the conference agenda. Mr Howard says it will not be because there is nothing the conference could do about petrol costs, because they are caused by the world oil price. Mr Howard says Premiers Conferences are no longer supposed to be about funding issues since the states have been given all the proceeds from the GST. ""We're going to the meeting with a major plan to tackle salinity and water quality. We can actually tomorrow do something historic for Australia's future about that issue,"" he said. ""If these meetings, which are pretty rare, are to mean anything, surely they should devote their time to talking about things that we can acutally improve rather than a forum for what are essentially political exchanges about something we can't address."""

" Israel is threatening even harsher action against Palestinians after its helicopters attacked PLO headquarters in three cities yesterday. Meanwhile, street violence has continued with six more Palestinians dead. Most of the deaths again occurred in Gaza where Palestinian rioters are now throwing stones from areas with no cover having been swept off trees and buildings by Israeli soldiers. A Palestinian policeman was killed near Bethlehem and another man shot dead at Ramallah. An Israeli spokesman said the air raids were a warning to the PLO Fatah faction that it could hit it anywhere. Israel says Fatah and Tanzim paramilitaries have conducted 600 shooting attacks in the past month. Palestinian leaders appealed for international intervention against the air attacks. Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat was defiant, saying the raids would not shake one eyelash from a Palestinian child holding a stone to defend holy Jerusalem. Meanwhile, the former Israeli prime minister, Shimon Peres, may meet Mr Arafat tomorrow, in a bid to find a way to end the escalating violence in the Middle East. Now a junior minister in the Israeli Government, Mr Peres is said to be the only government member that his fellow Nobel Prize winner Yasser Arafat can stand. Israeli television has reported that Mr Peres is determined to go to Gaza to meet the Palestinian leader tomorrow, hoping to arrange a return to peace negotiations. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" About 10,000 US troops in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have been put on the highest state of alert because of ""credible"" threats of possible attacks by anti-Western guerillas, the Pentagon said today. Defence Department spokesman Ken Bacon said forces in the two Gulf states yesterday had been placed on ""Threat Condition Delta"" - the highest protective alert status in the US military - following threats involving unspecified targets. The latest step in the volatile Gulf and Middle East region followed the October 12 deaths of 17 US sailors in an apparent suicide bombing against the destroyer USS Cole in Yemen. US troops in Bahrain and Qatar were also put on the highest alert after the attack in Aden harbour. Under the highest alert, US troops carefully screen visitors to bases where they are located and make sure that vehicles that might contain explosives are not parked close to buildings. Mr Bacon confirmed a report from the US Embassy in Kuwait City earlier today that the alert level of around 5,000 troops each in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia had been increased. ""In both Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, US forces are at the highest alert level, which is Threat Condition Delta,"" he said. ""It is due to credible-threat information involving unspecified targets."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak appears to have succeeded in delaying attempts to topple his minority Government. The religious Shas Party has agreed to protect the Government for the time being. Shas has said it wants to give Mr Barak the chance to return to the peace table in the next month and the Prime Minister repeated his desire to implement the Sharm el-Sheikh ceasefire declaration and go to talks in Washington after the US elections, but only if violence ceases. Today in Gaza, Israeli tanks again opened machine gunfire on Palestinian protesters, injuring scores and a Palestinian man shot by Jewish settlers today near Nablus is reportedly in a critical condition. In East Jerusalem, two Israeli security guards were shot in an attack claimed by two previously unheard of Palestinian groups. One of the men died later. Meanwhile, the bound and stabbed body of a Jewish settler from the suburb of Gilo, just outside Jerusalem, was found in a valley near the city. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A federal Liberal backbencher has broken ranks with the Government over petrol excise. Despite the Prime Minister's opposition so far to freezing fuel excise, the Member for McEwen, Fran Bailey, wants no inflation-linked rise next February. She says the high cost of petrol is already hurting people in her electorate. ""These are people on low, fixed incomes, grandparents usually who can't get down to Melbourne to see their grandkids,"" she said. Mrs Bailey believes the cost of petrol will continue to be a huge political issue and says she will keep up the campaign. ""This is an issue I feel very strongly about on behalf of people I represent,"" she said. -----------------------------------------------------------------------"

" International electoral officials have confirmed that Ibrahim Rugova's moderate nationalist Democratic League of Kosovo has won Kosovo's first post-war municipal election. The result has not been welcomed by Belgrade, which sees it as a step toward Kosovo's permanent separation from Serbia. While Kosovo's neighbours are describing the vote as a step towards democracy, they are steering clear of the independence argument. Western diplomats are suggesting the international world could delay or even oppose Kosovo's ambitions. They argue that while a dictator ruled in Belgrade, the provinces had the sympathy of the West. But now that Serbia is celebrating democracy, they will more carefully consider other issues such as Kosovo's ability to secure its borders and guarantee the safe return of Serbian minorities. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The teenage swimming sensation, Siobhan Paton, has been named Paralympian of the Year. The award has been announced tonight at an Australian Paralympic Committee dinner for the entire Australian team. The 17-year-old Canberra school girl won six gold medals in the pool, a record at any single Paralympics Games. Meanwhile, equestrian competitor Julie Higgins has been named the Best Female Athlete of the Year and track athlete Tim Sullivan is Best Male Athlete."

" In Russia, families of the 118 men lost aboard the Kursk nuclear submarine have attended a memorial service for their loved ones as divers recovered more bodies from the wreck. Armoured personnel carriers carried four coffins wrapped in the Russian Navy flags through the snow-covered Arctic port town of Severomorsk. The four bodies, recovered last week from the wreck, were delivered to the mainland just hours before the ceremony began. A note recovered from one of the victims showing that not all seamen died instantly as the Kremlin had suggested, has renewed speculation that Russian authorities missed their chance to save at least some of the crew by their slow response. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" In the United States presidential election, Governor George W Bush is claiming he is on the cusp of victory with only nine days to go until the poll. But Democrats are questioning whether the Governor is ready for office. At a campaign stop in Michigan today, Vice-President Al Gore told a union crowd, the future prosperity of the country was at stake next week. Mr Gore and Governor Bush are ready for a hectic final week barnstorming across a country where polls showing a mixed picture - some a dead heat, others a Bush lead. The Texas Governor was having a day off at home in Austin, but in recent days has heightened his attacks on the Vice-President's integrity and credibility. However, Democrats say there is widespread uneasiness about whether Governor Bush has the experience or capacity for the White House. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Well over 100 people have died - most of them Arabs - since violent confrontations erupted throughout the Palestinian territories a month ago. Dr Moustapha Bhargouti, from Palestinian Medical Relief in Ramallah, where one of the latest victims was killed, says the Israelis are shooting unarmed civilians. ""Palestinian demonstrators, the most they can use is stones and the Israelis are shooting at them with live ammunition with metallic bullets,"" he said. ""And the [Israelis] shoot in the head, they say that they shoot to defend themselves, but I was with the American physicians for human rights yesterday, we talked about it and they said if you shoot somebody in the head that doesn't means your life is not threatened really, but you are really shooting to kill."""

" Pressure is mounting among Pacific Island leaders to abandon a proposal to adopt rules and sanctions for dealing with threats to democracy in the region. The 16 leaders of the South Pacific Forum nations will head to an island retreat today to fine tune what will become known as the Biketawa Declaration. The declaration is in response to this year's coups in Fiji and the Solomon Islands. If Prime Minister John Howard, his New Zealand counterpart Helen Clark, and others get their way, the Biketawa Declaration would include santions the forum could impose on undemocratic countries, including expulsion or suspension from the forum. But resistance to the measures is growing among the small and medium-sized island nations weary of being dictated to, or punished by larger nations. The outgoing chairman of the Pacific Islands Forum has warned against voting to resolve difficult issues such as the recent crises in Fiji and Solomon Islands. The President of Palau says the forum is facing a dilemma, partly because of its traditional method of resolving matters by consensus. President Kuneeevo Nakamura said the member nations of the Pacific Island Forum were divided on how to respond to the coups in Fiji and the Solomons and that when the coups happened, different nations wanted to support different sides. He told the opening ceremony of the forum meting in Kiribati that he was against getting rid of the current consensus approach but that one day it may be abandoned. ""When that day comes, I fear that this special alliance will suffer as a result,"" he said."

" Champion Kiwi mare Sunline will attempt to capture a second consecutive Cox Plate at Moonee Valley this afternoon . Only a few horses have managed to win consecutive Cox Plates, but Sunline's trainer Trevor McKee says the mare is in perfect form to do just that. ""She's 100 per cent at this stage of things so it's a very, very, very strong field but she is going to be very, very competitive,"" he said. Victory would make Sunline Australasia's highest stakes winner, but jockey Greg Childs is not feeling the pressure. ""I do have experience on my side, I've ridden all around the world, ridden in a lot of major races so it's just a case of letting the gates open and let the race begin,"" he said. Shogun Lodge will be a threat if it's dry, while Sky Heights and Testa Rossa will be leading contenders if the track is wet."

" Another international sporting festival opens today as the Paralympics draw to a close. Thousands of athletes from around the globe have gathered on Queensland's Gold Coast for the Asia Pacific Masters Games. Just over half the 11,000 athletes expected to attend have already settled into the Games village on the Southport Broadwater. Wearing their national costumes, they will march to the welcoming ceremony this afternoon where Queensland Sports Minister Terry McKenroth will declare the Games open. Forty sports are listed for competition and participants of all ages will vye for top honours. The Games, which continue until November 5, are expected to inject more than $20 million into the Queensland economy."

" North Korea has accepted the idea of working toward restraint in its missile program, US officials said today. They cited progress on a critical issue dividing the two countries as they explore reconciliation after 50 years. US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said she took seriously a remark by President Kim Jong-Il - delivered seemingly offhand at a gymnastic exhibition - that his state would refrain from long-range missile launches. Mr Kim had raised the issue when an image of a Taepo Dong I missile was flashed before the audience. ""He quipped that this was the first satellite launch and it would be the last,"" Dr Albright said. Asked if she interpreted that as a pledge for a permanent moratorium on missile launches, Dr Albright said: ""I take what he said as serious as to his desire to move forward to resolve various questions."" Ms Albright was going to Seoul tomorrow to tell South Korean and Japanese officials about her talks with President Kim. President Bill Clinton is considering whether to visit North Korea himself, a trip that could come next month. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" American space shuttle Discovery has landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California's Mojave Desert. The shuttle, carrying seven crew members, had been trying to return to Earth since Sunday. But strong winds and rain on both the east and west coasts of the United States had delayed the landing until now. During this 100th shuttle mission, the astronauts upgraded the International Space Station with two new segments. The first crew to live on the station is due to arrive there tomorrow week. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia says it will restore special trade privileges to Fiji if Suva gives a firm guarantee that democracy will return within 18 months. The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, says Fiji's interim government has responded to Australian pressure by halving the timetable for elections from three years to 18 months. Mr Downer says if that timetable is followed, he will look at helping Fiji's garment industry, which sells 70 per cent of its product to Australia. Last month, Australia scrapped its import credits for Fiji's clothing exports as a further sanction for the overthrow of democracy. Mr Downer says Australia could restore trade privileges to Fiji's textiles, clothing and footwear industries through SPARTECA - the South Pacific Regional Trade and Economic Cooperation Agreement. ""If they were to give a cast iron guarantee of a return to genuine democracy after 18 months, we wouldn't reintroduce the import credit scheme, we're not prepared to do that,"" he said. ""But we would put in place a much more modest scheme which we'll call for the purposes of this discussion the 'SPARTECA TCF' scheme."""

" Former governor general Bill Hayden has criticised Australia's recent involvement in East Timor. Mr Hayden has described the Howard Government's change of policy on East Timor as ""risky"". Mr Hayden's speech tonight at the Univeristy of Tasmania in Hobart delivered a wide-ranging critique of Australia's East Timor policy over the past 25 years. He has described the decision to send troops to East Timor as ""a thinly thought out frolic"". Mr Hayden says that without the support of the United States, the situation could have escalated to a point where it could have exhausted and humiliated Australia's armed forces. While he says he does not dismiss the efforts of the Australian forces, Mr Hayden says Australia needs to recognise its limitations in being able to meet certain levels of military commitment. Mr Hayden has paid tribute to Indonesia's former President Suharto. He says President Suharto's leadership lifted Indonesia out of the social and economic chaos of the Sukarno years and gave cohesion and stability to the country as well as boosting regional stability. He says Australia should be grateful for what was achieved under Suharto's rule. Mr Hayden says it is up to the Indonesian court system to decide whether President Suharto has been corrupt but says he should be remembered for the benefits he provided to the Indonesian people."

" Deputy Prime Minister John Anderson has backed the Workplace Relations Minister, saying he has tried to right the public outrage over his $50,000 Telecard bill by making arrangements to pay for it. Peter Reith is under pressure to stand aside from his portfolio because of the ongoing row over the bill. Mr Anderson said he understood public concern about the issue but would not be drawn on whether he would apply the high standards he had set for National Party politicians to Mr Reith, if he were a member of his party. ""Look, I've made the comments that I'm going to make on that matter, I support the ongoing work that Peter Reith is engaged in,"" he said. ""He is a good Minister, I support the approach that the Prime Minister is taking and I have nothing further to add."" ------------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Federal Treasurer Peter Costello has been meeting some of the world's biggest investment houses in New York, selling the message that Australia's economy is in a stronger shape than the struggling dollar suggests. The Treasurer, who is en route to the G-20 meeting of finance ministers and central bankers in Montreal, says those paying attention to Australia realise the underlying strength of its economy and the differences between Australia and Europe, which has currency woes of its own. ""Nonetheless we have to observe on exchange rates that they've been moving together in recent times, although perhaps more recently there's been a bit of a break and it's just worth re-emphasising the differences amongst those that don't follow things as carefully as others,"" he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The chance of Australian Paralympian Louise Sauvage getting a second opportunity to win the 800 metres wheelchair event will be decided later today. The Canadian team is appealing against the decision to re-contest the race. Canadian Chantal Petitclerk was first across the line in Sunday's final with Sauvage second, but a collision early in the event led the race referee to call for a re-run on Thursday night. Canada is appealing against that ruling, arguing the race was won fair and square by Petitclerk because the interference did not impede the leading competitors. Sauvage says she expects the court action to fail and the race to go ahead. Canadian officials says if they lose the case, Petitclerk is no certainty to compete in the new final due to a busy program."

" The junior minister to Federal Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith says Government backbenchers understand the need to support Mr Reith in the telecard affair. Sustained pressure is being applied by the Opposition, the Democrats and the media for Mr Reith to either stand-down pending an independent investigation, or be sacked. The Employment Minister, Tony Abbott, says Mr Reith is an effective minister who cannot be handed over to media lynch mobs. ""Obviously people in marginal seats are always conscious of what's helping us and what's hindering us, but I think they all understand that sacrificing a very senior minister like this will end up doing much more harm than good."""

" The Australian sharemarket has enjoyed broad-based gains today after last week's News Corporation-driven volatility. The All Ordinaries index rose 29 points, or 0.9 per cent, to 3,217. Wall Street gave a positive lead on Friday night, with the Dow Jones up 83 points, to 10,226, while the Nasdaq put on 64 points, or 1.9 per cent, to 3,483. In the region today, Tokyo's Nikkei index has shown more weakness, closing 100 points lower at 15,098. The Hang Seng in Hong Kong is down marginally in late trade. At home, gains for News Corporation helped propel the market - the ordinary stock up 27 cents to $20.62 and the preference shares are up 34 to $17.64. The market focus was on the debut of OneSteel, the former steel long-products division of BHP. OneSteel opened at 79 cents, compared to BHP's valuation of $2.64 a share, gaining steadily through the day to finish 20 cents higher, at 99 cents. Some brokers expect the share price to remain soft for the first month, as overseas institutions who were issued one new share for every four BHP shares held sell out. BHP added five cents to $18.50. Solution6 plummeted 17 per cent or 33 cents to $1.60 after the business software group became the latest high-tech company to slash its earnings forecasts. The new chief executive, Neil Gamble, has ordered a restructure, including a review of loss-making businesses, and closer scrutiny of managers. Telstra gained 21 to $6.24 and rival, Cable and Wireless Optus added 11 to $4.21, while Hutchison Telecommunications, which has announced a 13 per cent rise in digital mobile subscribers, closed up 10 cents to $2.72. On the currency market, the Australian dollar is buying 52.86 US cents, up marginally from Friday's local close. It is at 36.34 sterling, 57.6 yen and 1.229 marks. It is worth 1.316 New Zealand dollars, 0.628 euros, and at 49.1 on the trade weighted index. Gold is fetching $US271.40 an ounce."

" More than 500 people have gathered in a Mackay park to welcome Olympic gold medallist Cathy Freeman back to her home town. Freeman was guest of honour at a civic reception, attended by her family. She says she plans to spend a week in Mackay catching up with family and friends. ""I saw the newest edition to my family today, eight-week-old Katherine - actually my youngest brother's daughter,"" she said. ""I've seen some aunts and cousins and nieces and nephews. It's great to be home, this place is filled with so many childhood happy memories for me."" Freeman says she is embarrassed by the attention she has received in the wake of winning the 400 metres in Sydney. Freeman says appearing before her family is always nerve-wracking and says she was overwhelmed by the response. ""I'm not one for official events. When the local council offered to put this on for me I was quite sure I didn't want to do it,"" she said. ""I'm just tired, I'm all worn out, I'm tired, tired of all the attention a little bit I think it's fair to say. It's just my way of thanking everyone for their support."""

" Health officials in South Africa have confirmed more than 40 new cholera infections in one of the nation's worst outbreaks of the disease. More than 3,500 people have now become infected. The outbreak in the Kwa Zulu-Natal province has already claimed 30 lives. South African health officials are hopeful the number of infections will decline but the health department concedes it is too early to tell. Around 47 new cases of cholera have been reported since Saturday. The outbreak began in a series of rivers and dams north-east of Durban two months ago. But it has now spread to other districts south of the provincial capital. Water tanks have been installed in several villages and residents are being urged not to drink from local waterways. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" American film star Liza Minnelli is reported to be fighting for her life in a Florida hospital after suffering a series of strokes. Friends have been quoted as saying that the 54-year-old film star she is conscious, but very weak. She collapsed in her mansion in Fort Lauderdale late last week and since then has been in intensive care. Minnelli won an Academy award for her role in the 1972 film Cabaret. She is the daughter of Hollywood screen icon Judy Garland and film director Vincente Minnelli. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister has warned that the Coalition is in for a tough fight at the next Federal election. Mr Howard was speaking at a Liberal Party fundraiser in Sydney, which was attended by 650 politicians and key business people. He told the gathering that the party will deliver new reforms, which some may find controversial, adding that New South Wales is a crucial element in a future federal victory. ""We do need to hang on to every seat the Liberal and National Parties hold,"" Mr Howard said. ""Some of them will be difficult, Larry Anthony sits on a fairly slim margin up in the electorate of Richmond. Many of our members sit on thin margins. ""We are very well served by the fact that we have very good marginal seat holders in all of our marginal seats."""

" There will be a state funeral at the Sydney Town Hall next Wednesday for the late Kumuntjayi Perkins. The Aboriginal activist and leader died in a Sydney hospital on Wednesday morning, after a long illness. An Arrernte man, Dr Perkins was born at the Bungalow on the Todd River in Alice Springs in 1936. The Arrernte Council Governing Committee says he was a man of extraordinary vision and tenacity, who came from poor circumstances to fight for the rights of indigenous people. After the service there will be a procession from Sydney Town Hall to the Opera House where a wake will be held. ATSIC says the ashes of Kumtjai Perkins will be scattered over a spot in Alice Springs."

" Israeli cabinet minister Yossi Beilin has defended the military's action. ""When there is fire which is opened against our citizens, our role of course is to rescue them and if it involves helicopters and other means we will use them in order to save our citizens,"" he said. ""That is of course obvious, our role as a government is ready to make peace and ready to pay the price for peace."""

" However, Palestinian legislator Hanan Ashrawi, has blamed the settlers for staring the latest violence. ""These are vigilante groups that have been raging a reign of terror against the Palestinians,"" he said. ""They have been terrorisiing Palestinian villagers, towns people, they have been shooting into people's homes. ""They have been carrying out rage, they are fully armed and entirely above the law. ""They kill Palestinians with impunity, they abduct and torture, they get away with it."""

" Australia's husband and wife shooters, Libby and Stan Kosmala, will compete against each other in today's mixed standing air rifle Paralympic event. The South Australian couple are in a field of 56. The day will see a number of gold medal chances for the host nation with women's team captain, swimmer Priya Cooper a chance in the 200 metre individual medley. While Libby Kosmala has won nine gold medals in five previous Paralympic games, husband Stan only took up the sport in recent years. ""I've only been shooting the prone for about four years,"" he said. ""I started in '96 when Libby was training for the Atlanta Paralympics and I thought if I'm helping her with her equipment I may as well do some shooting while I'm out there and that's where it started."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Northern Territory Parliament has heard claims that refugees at the Port Hedland detention centre, in Western Australia, have been beaten and intimidated. Labor's Paul Henderson reported the allegations last night. Mr Henderson says he has been meeting Darwin's Islamic community members to talk about the refugees who have been coming to the Top End city on temporary protection visas. He says the refugees are leaving Port Hedland with just $218 to last them a fortnight and most of that money is spent during the first week on rent, leaving them without money to buy food. Mr Henderson also says he received several reports of brutality at the Port Hedland Detention Centre. ""The allegations are of beatings, of people being put in isolation cells and verbal harassment and intimidation,"" he said. Mr Henderson says he is writing to the Federal Immigration Minister, Phillip Ruddock, to advise him of the allegations. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) Labor Opposition says it will revive its no-confidence motion against former chief minister Kate Carnell if she is appointed to a ministerial post. The ACT Chief Minister Gary Humphries says Mrs Carnell's talent and energy would be wasted on the back-bench. However, he says the scope of her ministerial responsibilities would need to be limited due to her intention to leave the assembly within the next six months. Mr Stanhope says Labor no longer has the numbers to support a no-confidence motion, but must make a principalled stand. ""It shouldn't have ever come to this stage,"" he said. ""There shouldn't have even been a suggestion that Mrs Carnell could simply waltz back into the ministry. ""There shouldn't have been a suggestion that the chief minister can bolt out the back door and march back in the front door as if nothing has happened, as if there was no responsibility for her to accept, as if there was no blame to bare."""

" About 350 Rebels Motorcycle Gang members have arrived at their clubhouse in the north eastern Perth suburb of Malaga this afternoon. The group spent a relatively trouble-free night in Kalgoorlie with the exception of an alleged assault at a local pub last night. Police have followed the bikies as they have made their way from South Australia to Western Australia for this weekend's bike and tattoo show at the southern Perth suburb of Naval Base. Commander of ""Operation Isolate"", Darryl Balchin says even though the bikies have been behaving themselves police still need to be prepared. ""Since 1997/98 we've had some gang warfare which has involved a death and a lot of people being injured and also a lot of people being arrested,"" Mr Balchin said."

" The Australian dollar has re-established itself back above 52 United States cents after being driven to a new all-time low overnight. Wobbles on Wall Street have been a key factor in the currency's latest decline. Hitched once more to the European single currency, the Australian dollar formed an inverse relationship with stock prices on Wall Street. Higher than expected US inflation figures and an IBM revenue warning triggered an initial collapse of 435 points, or 4.3 per cent, on the Dow Jones index. That sent the euro and Australian dollar higher until a subsequent recovery on Wall Street. The share market turnaround then sent both the euro and dollar to all-time lows, the local currency bottoming at 51.52 US cents. The Dow Jones index has, at around 9:00am AEDT, now closed at 115 points lower and the dollar is back to 52.14 US cents. ____________________________________________________________________"

" An emergency session of the United Nations General Assembly is underway to consider the violence in the Middle East. Sources say the session is likely to end with the adoption of a resolution condemning Israel. Diplomatic sources say the General Assembly is likely to adopt a resolution drafted by Arab countries condemning Israel for using excessive force. Two weeks of violence has resulted in the deaths of more than 100 Palestinians. In tough language, the resolution affirms the UN's responsibilty over the Palestinian issue and calls for an investigation into the cause of the violence. The session, due to last several days, was convened at the demand of Arab nations who took their case to the assembly after the US vetoed action in the security council. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The South African King Commission into cricket corruption has been postponed indefinitely. The King Commission was scheduled to resume its hearings within the next month but commission secretary John Bacon says proceedings have been suspended. The delay will allow investigators to gather further information from police and cricket officials in India and South Africa. Last month, the commission's senior investigators travelled to India to obtain copies of a taped conversation between former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje and a bookmaker. Cronje is appealing against a life ban proposed by South Africa's United Cricket Board. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Stadium Australia at Homebush Bay in Sydney has been filled for tonight's Opening Ceremony of the 11th Paralympic Games. It has begun with a flyover from a Royal Australian Airforce jet. The F1-11 signaled the start of tonight's Opening Ceremony performance, a rock opera involving a choir of over 2,000 singers and more than 2,000 school children. The athletes are arriving to enjoy this show. They are representing a record of 121 countries. Earlier tonight the capacity crowd were welcomed to the Stadium by Aboriginal elders and were entertained by ABC Radio Triple-J personalities Merrick and Rosso. The good-natured and noisy crowd are primed for a big night and the rain has subsided."

" The Federal Government has rejected the criticisms made by Mr Murdoch. A spokesman for the Communications Minister, Richard Alston, has pointed out that both Houses of Parliament passed legislation in 1998 requiring data-casting to be innovative and offer services instead of being used to create a fourth, defacto free-to-air broadcaster. He says video and audio-streaming is permissable over the Internet and the legislation allows Australia to be at the cutting edge of new technology."

" Mr Murdoch says he is still hopeful of floating his multi-billion-dollar Sky Global Network by the end of the year. Sky Global, which reaches 85 million homes around the world, is valued at $US 40 billion. Mr Murdoch says negotiations are taking place with potential strategic partners and he is hopeful of a very successful float of Sky Global in the near future. ""If everything went like lightning it could be three weeks, so I just said we're going to do it as soon as possible and I wouldn't want to put a time on it,"" he said. ""We are still hoping to do that but I'm not going to promise."""

" The Australian dollar has stabilized at new lower levels after its latest bout of selling overnight. After breaking through the 52 US mark, to post a new record low of 51.5 US, the dollar has steadied to 52.05 USi late afternoon trade, down marginally from this morning, with trading in a fairly narrow range. On the cross-rates, the currency is at 35.91 Sterling, 56.25 yen and 1.189 German marks. It is worth $NZ 1.317 and 0.608 euros and is at 48.5 on the trade weighted index. The weakening dollar, and rising interest rates, are seen as the main reasons for a 4 per cent drop in the Westpac-Melbourne institute index of consumer sentiment for October. Key regional markets have taken a hit, following further falls by both high-tech and blue-chip stocks in New York last night. The Nasdaq dropped 76 points, or 2 per cent, to 3,214, while the Dow Jones shed 149 points, or nearly 1.5 per cent, to 10,098. Tokyo's Nikkei and the Hang Seng index in Hong Kong are both down more than 400 points, or 3 per cent in evening trade. The Australian sharemarket has dipped more than 1 per cent, weighed down by a 7 per cent slide for market heavyweight, News Corporation. The All Ordinaries index dropped 36 points, to 3,180. News Corp's ordinary shares dived $1.67 to $19.95, with the preference shares down $1.12 to $16.98. Brokers cite concerns, not allayed at the annual general meeting in Adelaide about US earnings uncertainty, as well as a possible delay to the float of the digital television arm, Sky Global Networks. Elsewhere, Telstra fell 14 cents to $6.12. BHP dropped 49 cents to $18.50 with the resource group saying it may appeal to the High Court, against a Federal Court ruling on a $213 million claim by the Tax Office. Retailer Harvey Normand has shed 21 to $4.20, despite a 20 per cent increase in September-quarter profits. The National Australia Bank rose 45 to $27.12, Rio Tinto is steady at $24.66. Gold is fetching $US271.25 an ounce."

" The Victoria Amateur Turf Club (VATC) has avoided the controversy of recent years in naming the field for Saturday's Caulfield Cup. The top 16 qualifiers all made it into the field with the VATC committee using its discretion to allow Fuss and Ken's Joy to fill the last two places. The decision leaves Prince Benbara, Go Flash Go, and The Message as emergencies for the $2 million race. VATC vice chairman Peter Young concedes the committee still has some work to do to explain its selection process. ""Probably it's a job we'll have to do a little bit better, but certainly this year we did take a lot of time to spell out the elimination plan, to spell out the discretion and to adopt guidelines,"" Mr Young said."

" Police in Britain say they have not discounted the possibility of terrorism in the derailment of a high-speed train north of London, in which four people were killed. Bomb squad and police anti-terrorist officers have begun a criminal investigation, after admitting a threat was received two days ago. The train, carrying more than 100 passengers, had been heading from London to Leeds in northern England when it derailed, injuring more than 30 people. This passenger reported hearing a loud bang before the train jolted from the tracks. ""There was a lurch and quite clearly the carriage I was in, I couldn't tell what happened to the rest of the train at that stage, had come off the rails and was skidding along in the gravel,"" the passenger said. ""It was like the wake of a boat and gravel was hitting the window and smashing the windows. ""It must have taken perhaps 20 seconds for the train to actually come to a halt and when it finished obviously people were very shocked and panicked and there was dust and debris in the carriage."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" An agreement for the long-awaited Alice Springs to Darwin railway will be signed in Adelaide today. The Prime Minister and the leaders of South Australia and the Northern Territory will sign the agreement with the Asia Pacific Transport Consortium, which plans to build, operate and own the railway for 50 years before it passes into public ownership. The Commonwealth is contributing $165 million from the Federation Fund, with $165 million coming from the Territory Government and $150 million from South Australia. That leaves $750 million to be raised by the consortium. The banks have given in principle support but financial closure is not expected until late November. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The reign of the ACT Chief Minister Kate Carnell has come to an end. Mrs Carnell says she will immediately step down and withdraw from politics before the next election, due in October next year. Mrs Carnell, Australia's longest serving female political leader, was due to face a no-confidence motion tomorrow in response to the findings of an audit report into Canberra's Bruce Stadium. She says the numbers are against her but cannot allow Government to pass to Labor, and will instead hand the Chief Minister's portfolio to her deputy, Gary Humphries. ""I don't think it's fair to look over what will probably be Gary Humphries' shoulder in the longer term, so if I'm going to go I think I really do need to go after a hand-over period and after evrything's settled down a bit,"" she said. ---------------------------------------"

" Torrential rains continue to batter parts of northern Europe, causing mudslides and record flooding. At least 12 people have died and many more are missing, as torrential rain has battered parts of Switzerland, Italy and France. The Swiss town of Gondo was sliced in two by a massive mudslide, which wiped out nearly a third of the village. Further south on the Italian border in Locarno, floodwaters rose to their highest level on record, closing schools and blocking traffic, with a state of emergency declared in northern Italy. Thousands have been forced from their homes throughout Europe as the rain has continued to fall. In Britain, the south-east is still reeling after a week of heavy rain there, with insurance estimators describing the damage caused by massive flooding as Britain's costliest natural disaster yet. -----------------------------------"

" There has been a late rush of buying in Telstra Two shares on their final day of trade. The overall market has also rallied. Today was shareholders' last chance to sell their instalment receipts, to avoid the final $2.90 a share payment, due next month. But instead, bargain-hunters closed in on Telstra Two, happy in the knowledge the Asian expansion deal with Pacific Century Cyberworks has been resolved. Telstra Two has closed up 19 cents to $3.02. But Reynold's stockbroker Grant Williams says investors who chose to complete their purchase at $7.40 a share, will still make a paper loss, as the fully-paid stock is trading at just over $6. ""They're down by, a $1.50 on what they could've bought the stock at on the market today,"" Mr Williams said. ""The broader market followed Wall Street higher, the All Ordinaries index jumping nearly 62 points, or just under 2 per cent, to 3,219. ""And the Australian dollar is wallowing near its new record low today, of 52.6 US cents."""

" The first money from the Commonwealth to the Northern Territory, under the mandatory sentencing deal, is expected to be released later this week. The Federal Attorney-General Daryl Williams has announced $1 million for diversionary programs and $250,000 for the Aboriginal interpreter service will be made available. Under the deal aimed at diverting juvenile offenders before they get to the courts, the Commonwealth has promised $4 million a year, for five years. Territory legislation giving effect to the deal is before Parliament, and is expected to be passed this week."

" Western Australia has avoided outright defeat on the final day of the first class match against Queensland in Perth. Unbeaten centuries from Adam Gilchrist and Simon Katich steered the home side out of trouble. At stumps, WA was 5 for 349 with a lead of 102, with Gilchrist on 109 and Katich 105."

" World leaders are lowering expectations of a successful outcome to the emergency Middle East summit which gets underway at Egypt's Red Sea resort of Sharm-el-Sheikh tonight. The summit was called to try to bring an end to 18 days of Israeli-Palestinian violence which has now claimed 107 lives. Against a background of pessimism, United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan has made a last minute appeal for a positive approach. Mr Annan is already at Sharm-el-Sheikh trying to influence an outcome that at the very least ends the bloodshed. But already the Israeli delegation is complaining that it cannot deal with a mob bent on terror and the Palestinian delegation is under extreme internal pressure with fresh demonstrations on the West Bank against its decision to participate at all. As a result, most participants are talking down the chances of success or even progress. The White House is playing down expectations for the summit, saying it knows the talks will be difficult. Despite its role lobbying Egyptian President Mubarak to hold this week's talks, the Clinton administration acknowledges the limited prospects involved. Officials say they hope the talks allow the parties to step back from the current violence, but admit that re-establishing any confidence between the parties is far more difficult. President Clinton announced yesterday he would be attending the planned talks, along with the Israeli, Palestinian and Egyptian leaders. The White House is also giving qualified endorsement to Russia's expressed interest in taking part, but says that is a matter for host Egypt. -----------------------------------"

" A Qantas flight from Johannesburg to Perth will arrive 22 hours late today after experiencing technical difficulties. A spokeswoman for the airline says the plane initially suffered a fueling indication problem which was rectified. However, just before take-off, the crew detected an engine power problem. The spokeswoman says by the time it was fixed, six or seven hours later, the runway was preparing to close so the flight was cancelled. Passengers then disembarked and were taken to hotels for the night. ---------------------------------"

" Police in Indonesia have arrested the personal masseur of President Wahid in connection with a multi-million dollar fraud scandal. The masseur is alleged to have stolen the equivalent of $US4 million - that is more than $7 million Australian, from a food agency. Police have so far refused to give any further details about the arrest of Alip Agung Suwondo. But according to some reports he was taken into custody after police staked out his villa for a week, waiting for him to return from a trip to several cities in Java. His arrest brings to an end a police manhunt which began more than four months ago when the scandal first emerged. According to the details given at the time, President Wahid's personal masseur had succeeded in persuading a senior official of the national food distribution agency to hand over the equivalent of $US4 million. The masseur is said to have told the official that President Wahid wanted the money for humanitarian assistance for the troubled northern province of Aceh. ----------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has given an election-style speech to a meeting of the Victorian Liberal State Council in Ballarat. He has told delegates, the Federal Government has earned the right to be re-elected because of the enormous turn around in economic fortune it has brought to the country. Mr Howard says even though there is only a year until an election has to be called, his Government does not intend to down tools on policy reform and change. But the Prime Minister has acknowledged his Government has a big challege ahead. Mr Howard has also backed both the embattled workplace relations minister Peter Reith and the Victorian liberal leader Denis Napthine at the meeting. Dr Napthine has spent the last week fending off speculation about a challenge to his leadership. Mr Howard has thrown his support behind Dr Napthine, saying he has done better than anyone else under the circumstances. The Prime Minister also praised Mr Reith, who has been embroiled in controversy over his taxpayer funded telecard. Mr Howard says Mr Reith is responsible for two strong economic figures this week. ____________________________________________________________________"

" New South Wales MP David Oldfield has predicted the purge will continue within the One Nation Party, with Pauline Hanson likely to sack more people from its New South Wales branch. Three people have been dumped from the party's state executive in the past 48 hours. Since expelling David Oldfield and national director Brian Burston from the party 10 days ago, Miss Hanson has this week sacked New South Wales state director John Cantwell, and two other executive members. Mr Oldfield claims she will continue to remove anyone who holds a contrary view. Mr Oldfield says the sackings have so far slashed state executive numbers from 17 to 12, with another two or three to go. Expelled state director John Cantwell has labelled Miss Hanson a dictator, comparing her to Stalin. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has announced his intention to form a Government of National Emergency, following an escalation in violence between Israel and the Palestinians. In an address on national television Mr Barak said his Palestinian counterpart, Yasser Arafat, was not interested in peace. The move came after Israeli helicopters launched rocket attacks against Palestinian targets in response to the brutal murder of three Israeli soldiers. Mr Barak said there were no Palestinian injuries as a result of the rocket attacks, but Palestinian medical officers say 36 people were slightly wounded. Mr Barak says if there are any retaliatory suicide bombings he will hold Mr Arafat personally responsible. He is calling on all Israelis to be reserved in their reaction to the day's momentous events. Palestinian leaders say the Israeli air strikes are an act of war. Administration buildings, including Yasser Arafat's offices, broadcasting stations and security structures were on the target list to be attacked The police station in Ramallah, where just hours earlier three Israeli Army reservists were beaten to death by a lynch mob, was the first building hit. The Palestinians claim they were undercover agents, but Israel says they stumbled into the Palestinian controlled town by accident. The United States and Britain are leading calls for restraint from both sides. Israel says the attacks are over for now, describing them as a measured and reasonable response to the killing of its soldiers. It says the strikes are also designed to act as a deterrent. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Five sailors have been killed and 35 others injured in what authorities believe was a suicide attack on a United States destroyer in the Persian Gulf. Naval spokesmen initially reported the USS Cole was rammed by a rubber dinghy loaded with explosives as it docked in the Port of Aden this morning. However, authorities now suggest a more sophisticated operation, with the blast caused by a docking vessel assisting the destroyer. As investigations begin, the US is treating the explosion, which ripped a hole in the side of the ship, as a deliberate attack. US President Bill Clinton condemned the act. ""If as it now appears this was an act of terrorism. It was a despicable and cowardly act,"" he said. Mr Clinton says he has ordered all US naval vessels to pull out of Middle East ports, placing US installations on heightened alert. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The family of Sir Donald Bradman has appealed successfully to the Prime Minister to have its name protected. The move follows attempts to use the name of the cricketing legend by a New South Wales property development and by businesses in South Australia. Burbridge Road in Adelaide is being renamed Sir Donald Bradman Drive, while an adult bookshop and cafe along the strip have also sought a name change. Prime Minister John Howard says changes to the Corporations Law will ensure that Sir Donald Bradman's name is not exploited. The changes mean businesses will not be able to use the Bradman name without establishing a valid connection with the family or with the Bradman Foundation charity. Mr Howard says it is an unusual but necessary step. ""I have no compunction about the Government having taken the decision and I believe the Australian community will support it,"" Mr Howard said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The domestic four-day cricket competition begins today with Western Australia to host Queensland at the WACA ground in Perth. The Warriors will be without injured fast bowler Brad Williams, while the Bulls will be minus their best paceman, Michael Kasprowicz. Western Australian opening batsman Mike Hussey says Queensland has selected some good replacements to cover for Kasprowicz and the other injured paceman, Scott Muller. ""Joe Dawes is a fantastic bowler and there's been big wraps on Nosske so we are not going to get an easy game that's for sure,"" he said. ""We're going to have to be right on our game to make sure we're successful against the Queensland Bulls."""

" The announcement of final election results in Sri Lanka are expected today after delays and reports of widespread vote rigging. Sir Lanka's election commission decided to delay announcing the results of Tuesday's parliamentary elections amid reports of voter intimidation, fraudulent voting and violence. Polls in several districts have already been annulled. Early results point to a hung parliament with Sri Lankan Marxists and armed rebels, the People's Liberation Front, possibly holding the balance of power. The People's Liberation Front say they are not yet ready to decide whom to support. The election has been widely viewed as a referendum on President Chandrika Kumaratunga's plans to give greater powers to Tamil majority areas and her handling of the civil against Tamil Tiger rebels in the north."

" Share prices on Wall Street have been under pressure again with the technology sector that is bearing the brunt of the selling. The market has been unsettled by a number of warnings about next year's earnings prospects, including cautionary statements from Lucent Technologies and Motorola. The high-tech Nasdaq composite index is 50 points lower at 3,190, a slide of 1.5 per cent. The Dow Jones industrial average is substantially above the night's lows, but is still down around 98 points at 10,426. The US bond market has weakened a little. The softer prices have pushed up the yield on 30-year Treasury paper to 5.83 per cent, a rise of just over one point. In Britain, sharemarket jitters about technology stocks have set in. London's FT-100 index has slumped 130 points to 6,118 in a 2 per cent decline in the value of leading stocks. Yesterday in Asia, technology stocks were also the focus with Tokyo's Nikkei index dropping 314 points to 15,514. In Australia, the overall market succumbed to the weight of News Corporation and Telstra, with the All Ordinaries index slipping four points to 3,217. At 7.00am AEDT, the Share Price Index contract was down 12 points on yesterday's day settlement at 3,274. The 10-year bond contract was down half a point at 93.85, with the implied yield rising to 6.15 per cent. On foreign exchange markets, the Australian dollar has been fairly steady overnight ahead of today's official employment figures for September. The dollar was being quoted at around 53.47 US cents, up 0.1 cents on yesterday's local close. On the cross-rates, it is at 0.6150 euros, 57.54 Japanese yen, 36.53 pence sterling, and 1.318 New Zealand dollars. The gold price is at $US271 an ounce and West Texas crude oil is at $US33.16 a barrel."

" Arab nations are closely watching the latest fighting between Israel and the Palestinians. In Iraq President Saddam Hussein's eldest son, Uday, has volunteered to join Palestinians in a holy war against Israel. His name topped a list of 75 Iraqi intellectuals, journalists and sport figures who want to fight alongside the Palestinians in an Iraqi newspaper. Ihe Iranian Foreign Minister is to visit Syria and Lebanon to review the situation and the threat it poses to regional stability. ____________________________________________________________________"

" France has begun to rebuild its relations with Yugoslavia following the popular overthrowing of the regime headed by Slobodan Milosevic. France's Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine has travelled to Belgrade for talks with Yugoslavia's new president. The meeting between Yugoslav President Vojislav Kostunica and Mr Vedrine is a first step towards France re-establishing its traditionally strong influence in Belgrade, which was shattered by its involvement in NATO's bombing campaign last year. It is also the first step towards Yugoslavia receiving desperately-needed financial aid, as Yugoslavia need for cash is desperate as foreign exchange and central bank reserves are low. Although France did not offer any immediate aid, it is believed that the European Union will provide tens of millions of dollars in aid after a new Yugoslav Government is formed. ____________________________________________________________________"

" South Africa has swept aside England in their ICC Knock-out Trophy quarterfinal cricket clash, marching to an easy eight-wicket victory. The South Africans matched a superb fielding performance with some great batting and outclassed a disappointing England side, which was bowled out in the 40th over for 182. Jacques Kallis led the South Africans to the 183-run target with a chanceless 78. Boetha Dippenaar made 65 and both were unbeaten as they put on 132 for the third wicket. England did not bowl too badly but its total of 182 was never going to be enough on a good batting track at Nairobi's Gymkhana ground. At 4-154 England was in the game but was undone by a typical late collapse, losing its last six wickets for 28 runs. Only Graeme Hick stood firm against the South African onslaught, hitting 65 off 68 balls. Marcus Trescothick's 26 was the next highest score. England's batsmen put themselves under pressure by scoring too slowly - they made just four runs off the first seven overs as Shaun Pollock and Roger Telemachus exploited early movement off the seam. Four of England's batsmen were caught on the square-leg boundary as they tried to step up the pace. England captain Nasser Hussain, who made just five before he edged to keeper Mark Boucher off Alan Donald's bowling, acknowledged the inferiority of his side. ""From the first ball to the end, we were outplayed,"" he said. ""We didn't even come second. It was just class bowling from the South African front line. We were never really in the game."" Pollock, who was the pick of the bowlers taking 3-27 in 9.1 overs, says South Africa's performance in the field was one of the best he had ever seen. ""We didn't let the pressure drop and in the end with the runs they did get, it meant they had to come at us,"" he said. South Africa now meets India in the second of the semifinals on Friday. In the other semifinal, on Wednesday, New Zealand plays Pakistan. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has extended the Palestinians' deadline to end the violence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. ""We have bowed to the requests of many world leaders and we have agreed to extend the delay by three or four days,"" Mr Barak said in an interview on public radio, referring to a two-day ultimatum which expired last night. ""If the violence does not end, it will mean that the Palestinian Authority and [leader] Yasser Arafat want to abandon the process for a political settlement."" Mr Barak dismissed the perception that he was showing weak resolve by extending his ultimatum to Mr Arafat, saying that peace was the ultimate goal. ""If we fail,"" he warned. ""We are going to be led by events into much tougher moments than each of us can now imagine. Mr Barak, who said hopes for peace in the Middle East were fading ""at least for the near future,"" said he had done more than any of his predecessors"" in contemplating ideas that might lead to a solution. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Australian Parliament has deplored political terrorism in Fiji and called for the earliest possible return to democratic rule in Fiji. The resolution moved by the Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, expressed strong concern at calls by some Fijians for a blatantly discriminatory constitution. The resolution by the House of Representatives marked Fiji Day. Mr Downer says Fiji will not be fully accepted in the international community until it returns to a fair, balanced and democratic constitution. The Opposition spokesman on Foreign Affairs, Laurie Brereton, says Fiji's constitutional review is unlikely to be acceptable. Mr Brereton says the Australian Government is dragging its feet on sanctions against Fiji. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Sri Lanka's matriarch and the world's first female prime minister, Sirima Bandaranaike, has died shortly after casting her ballot in parliamentary elections. The 84-year-old mother of President Chandrika Kumaratunga died as she drove to the capital, Colombo, minutes after going by wheelchair to vote in the poll. Sirima Bandaranaike, who retired last month from politics after a 40-year career, became the world's first elected female leader in 1960. She was forced to retire as prime minister in August when her daughter, President Kumaratunga, inducted a younger minister to lead a robust election campaign. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Australian Federal Police are investigating a $50,000 telecard bill belonging to Federal Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith. Investigations so far show one of Mr Reith's sons is partly responsible for the bill. Mr Reith called for an investigation into the bill last August when he was notified that it had reached $50,000. He says the size of the bill came to light when a Telstra employee became suspicious of the volume of calls. Mr Reith says he believed the telecard had been handed in, in 1994. An initial investigation revealed Mr Reith's son had spent $950 on the card, an amount he immediately repaid. But Mr Reith says he does not know how the massive remaining bill accumulated. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The states have been warned that a permanent ban on Internet gambling is still possible, even though the Senate did not back a 12-month ban. The Government last night fell one vote short of getting its bill for a one-year moratorium on Internet betting through the Senate. It wanted the 12-month ban while it investigated ways of permanently banning the industry. Most states and territories oppose both - many have already sold gaming licences. Greens Senator Bob Brown voted against the 12-month ban last night. But he warned if the states did not crack down, he would probably back a complete ban. ""The majority in the Senate is clearly concerned about the impact of problem gambling,"" he said. ""The last thing we want to do is do nothing. So if the states aren't up to getting in uniform laws which have teeth and which are effective then quite clearly the Government is going to come up with a complete ban. ""Left with no alternative, I feel the Senate is going to be inclined to go that way."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The ANZ Bank expects jobs growth in Australia to continue at ""respectable"" levels over the remainder of the year despite an Olympics-related slump in newspaper employment notices last month. The bank's monthly job advertisement series has fallen a seasonally-adjusted 18.3 per cent during September which is the biggest downturn since the survey started 25 years ago. ANZ Bank chief economist Saul Eslake says employers appear to have taken the view that prospective applicants would have been enjoying the Olympics rather than looking for a job. ""Newspaper ads have been soft for a few months but I doubt that that means that employment is about to slow very sharply,"" he said. ""Over the last few months, despite the decline in newspaper job advertising, employment has grown at its most rapid rate for five years. ""It'll probably slow down some towards the end of the year, but I think, not so much based on today's numbers as on other economic evidence, that we're going to see a continued fairly respectable rate of employment growth over the balance of this year."" Job advertising on the Internet increased one per cent but that was the weakest outcome in eight months."

" Illawarra coal miners are to strike for seven days next week. A meeting of union delegates in Wollongong today voted to stop work from midnight on October 18. The strike over wage claims effects the Tower, Appin and Cordeaux collieries, and follows similar action at BHP operations in central Queensland that began this morning. Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union spokesperson Howard Fisher says BHP have not given any ground in negotiations. ""We haven't decided to reach any compromise with them,"" he said. ""We believe that our offer of a 15 per cent wage increase is fair and just and we're not prepared to compromise on that."" A spokesman for BHP Coal, David McDonald says the dispute will cost the Illawarra region $6 million in lost revenue. Mr McDonald says the company is the victim of an orchestrated political campaign being run out of the union's Sydney office."

" A Melbourne science company which produced a re-programmed human cell nucleus using a pig egg says the embryo could never have become a living being. Stem Cells Sciences and a US company removed the nucleus from a pig egg and replaced it with a human nucleus as part of research into the cloning of human stem cells for the treatment of disease. The combined cell then divided, growing into a tiny embryo in a test tube. Stem Cell Sciences' Peter Mountford says there was never any intention to implant the embryo in another animal and has ruled out the possibility it could have developed into a living being. ""It's ethically immoral and it's not something that our company or any respectable scientist would pursue - it's just not a possibility,"" he said."

" Two Perth women are in hospital claiming they received food poisoning on a Qantas Airlink flight. The women, who do not want to be identified, say they both ate a chicken curry and rice meal while on a flight from Perth to Alice Springs eight days ago. They say there was a foul smell in the plane before the meal was served and after landing at Alice Springs they became severely ill. The pair claim that after medical attention at the Royal Flying Doctor Service's Alice Springs post and a stint in the emergency department at Ayre's Rock, Qantas offered to fly them back to Perth via Sydney. ""They had already put our bags on the plane without even asking our permission, so I said there's absolutely no way that I am flying at that altitude with a lady who is as sick as my friend and as sick as I am."" The women have been in hospital in Perth since returning home last week. The incident follows reports that last week, Qantas served 2,000 meals on which the best-before date had expired. A spokeswoman for the airline says there has been no other reports of passengers falling ill on the flight between Perth and Alice Springs. She says Qantas has arranged for its medical staff to speak with doctors treating the two women to find out more about their claims."

" The United Nations Transitional Authority in East Timor (UNTAET) says it is prepared to take Australia to the International Court of Justice if negotiations on Timor Sea oil and gas fields do not favour East Timor. The UN, administering East Timor as it prepares for statehood, will begin negotiations with Australia today for a new agreement on control of oil and gas fields in the Timor Sea area called the Timor Gap. The area has significant gas and oil reserves. It is believed to be the first time the UN will negotiate a treaty on behalf of a territory or country. East Timor could receive a financial windfall of hundreds of millions of dollars from undersea fuel resources within the next decade. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" In Indonesia, police have begun to restore order in the eastern province of Irian Jaya, also known as Papua, after clashes in which 30 people were killed. There is now calm in the highland town of Wamena after days of terror. An Indonesian police spokesman says thousands of pro-independence activists, accused of killing and raping settlers, have fled to surrounding hills. Witnesses say pro-independence supporters, mainly village people armed with bows and arrows, were enraged on Friday when police lowered their flag of independence, the Morning Star. Human rights activists have been warning for weeks of a crackdown by Indonesian security forces on independence supporters. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Residents of the Yugoslav capital, Belgrade, have woken to a new era in Yugoslavia's turbulent history following the apparent overthrow of Slobodan Milosevic's regime. After hundreds of thousands of protesters spent the night on the streets of the capital, the city is now largely peaceful. AFP reports that many shops are open and locals are making their way to work but there are still clear signs of the changes of the last 24 hours. Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov has left Moscow for Belgrade, following a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin. There has also been no response from the Yugoslav Army, which has been holding an emergency meeting to consider its response to the massive uprising in Belgrade. Meanwhile, Vojislav Kostunica's Yugoslav opposition has established a crisis committee charged with preparing a new session of the Yugoslav Parliament. After a day of dramatic protests, Mr Kostunica declared he would replace Mr Milosevic as the new president of Yugoslavia. Mr Milosevic has not been seen for more than 24 hours. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The historic agreement between Victoria and New South Wales to increase water flows in the Snowy River has been widely welcomed. The two premiers have agreed to spend $300 million to increase the flow to 21 per cent over 10 years. The money will establish a joint government enterprise to invest in capital projects to save water, and reverse the environmental damage caused by the Snowy Mountains scheme. Premier Steve Bracks says the deal will safeguard the interests of irrigators and protect the Murray Darling basin. ""Once the Commonwealth comes on board there'll be environmental flows into the Murray as well,"" he said. ""It's an outstanding achievement for the environment in Australia."" The agreement is a victory for East Gippsland independent Craig Ingram, who says the pressure is now on the Commonwealth to support the initiative. ""It's essential that the Commonwealth not only agree to this but also match this agreement,"" he said. The Victorian National and Liberal parties have cautiously welcomed the deal but are demanding more detail on its cost and impact. But the New South Wales National Party leader George Souris has accused Mr Carr of ""doing a sleazy political deal"". Mr Souris says Mr Carr has sold out on New South Wales irrigators and producers to stitch up the political future of his Victorian counterpart. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Three houses have collapsed and two people are buried after a major earthquake in western Japan. The quake was felt as far away as Tokyo and hit the Chugoku region near the sea of Japan coast. At 7.1 on the Richter scale, it is Japan's biggest since the Kobe earthquake of 1995. Officials say so far damage appears to be minor but there have been three landslides and at least three houses have collapsed. The nuclear power plants in the region appear unaffected. Japan is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries because it sits atop four tectonic plates. Typically it experiences about 1,000 minor earthquakes a year. So far this year its had more than 12,000. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The two candidates for the post of vice-president of the United States have held their one and only televised debate. The session between the vice-presidential nominees, Joseph Lieberman for the Democrats and Dick Cheney for the Republicans was a relatively restrained and good natured affair. After Tuesday's sharp clashes between Al Gore and George W Bush, this was a far more gentlemanly affair. It was clear that both Mr Lieberman and Mr Cheney rather like each other despite their political rivalry. But if the tone was gentler, the policy disagreements echoed those of their bosses on Tuesday. Mr Cheney stressed the Republicans policy of deeper tax cuts accusing Mr Lieberman and the Democrats by contrast of favouring big government and big government spending."

" Police in Japan are preparing to charge a 64-year-old woman who they believe starved her five children to death. Police say the woman has told them she stopped feeding her children after receiving a message from God. Akiko Wakasa was emaciated when discovered along with the decomposing bodies of her four daughters and one son at their home near Osaka in August. She and her brother were arrested on Wednesday after being released from hospital. Police say she has told them she ordered her children not to eat or drink in June after receiving a message that this would purify them and that God would take care of them. Police say the children, who were aged between 27 and 41, appeared to offer no resistance. ____________________________________________________________________"

" A joint Victoria-New South Wales announcement on improving the amount of water flowing in the Snowy River is expected today. At Jindabyne, in southern New South Wales this morning, the New South Wales and Victorian Premiers, Bob Carr and Steve Bracks, are expected to reveal what percentage flow they have agreed on. In October 1998 a former NSW Coalition government minister, Robert Webster, delivered a report on the Snowy. He recommended the natural water flow in the river be increased from its current 1 per cent out of Jindabyne Dam to 15 per cent. One scientific committee suggested the environmental flow should be boosted to 28 per cent. Mr Webster warned of the dangers of going higher than 15 per cent. ""To go higher than 15 per cent would have significant economic impact on the irrigators, on the electricity generation and indeed on the health of the Murray and Murrumbidgee Rivers,"" he said. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Prime Minister is continuing to back his Reconciliation Minister who is under attack over his comments about Aboriginal disadvantage. Federal Parliamentarians from several parties say Philip Ruddock should resign. Mr Ruddock has told two foreign newspapers that one of the reasons Aborigines are disadvantaged is their relatively recent contact with developed civilisations. His comments have been condemned by Labor's Aboriginal Affairs spokesman Bob McMullan, Democrats Senator Aden Ridgeway and Greens Senator Bob Brown and they want him to resign, with Senator Ridgeway saying that along with many Aboriginal people, he was insulted by Mr Ruddock's comments. But John Howard has told commercial radio in Adelaide that is political correctness and his Minister is staying put. ""The public is tired of endless debating about how you describe the past and what they want is some action into the future,"" he said. Mr Ruddock is due to arrive back in Australia from Geneva tomorrow. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government says it has evidence that the Opposition has a secret plan to abandon its current policy and sell off part of Telstra. Senior ministers have quoted from a Macquarie Bank document which says senior members of the Opposition have talked to the bank about privatising Telstra's retail businesses. The Prime Minister, John Howard, says it proves Labor would sell Telstra if it won government. ""Everybody around this building knows that if Labor wins the next election they'll find a reason to ditch their opposition to the sale of Telstra,"" Mr Howard said. ""The only difference, Mr Speaker, everyone knows that, just as they did [with] the Commonwealth Bank, just as they did with Qantas, just as they did it in relation to Australian airlines, they will do it in relation to Telstra. The ALP has denied it will sell-off Telstra. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat have reached an agreement to end seven days of violence in the Palestinian territories and Israel. Mr Arafat and Mr Barak, preceded by US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, have gathered at the French presidential palace after striking the deal. Mr Arafat and Mr Barak nutted out the agreement after long hours of often-strained talks led by Dr Albright, who had convened the two Middle East leaders to the US ambassador's residence in Paris at the request of US President Bill Clinton. French President Jacques Chirac, who had been in telephone contact with all parties during the tense negotiations, also received UN secretary-general Kofi Annan, who was in the French capital to lend his weight to the hastily-called summit, and French Foreign Minister Hubert Vedrine. The entire group of dignitaries were engaged in a session to refine the final deal."

" An Israeli official said under the deal the Palestinians undertook not to allow protesters to approach three sensitive points at Ramallah, Nablus and Netzarim in the Gaza Strip, where there have been serious clashes. The Israelis said they would withdraw heavy weaponry from the Netzarium junction and around the Jewish holy place of Joseph's tomb in Nablus, and promised to ensure that strict regulations were followed before security forces were authorised to open fire on protesters. In addition, a security assessment would be carried out overnight by Israel and Palestinian officials in conjunction with the US Central Intelligence Agency, the official said. The agreement was to be initialled tonight in Paris, and probably signed at a meeting in the Egyptian town of Sharm el-Sheick tomorrow. ""Israel is waiting for the violence to stop before signing the agreement fully in Egypt tomorrow,"" the Israeli official said. He said a Palestinian demand for an international of inquiry on the violence had not been agreed on. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The national director of One Nation, and former Cessnock councillor Brian Burston, says he will take Miss Hanson to court if necessary to overturn his expulsion from the party. Earlier this week, Mr Burston and Mr Oldfield were involved in a disagreement with Miss Hanson, during which she locked them out of the office and expelled them from the party. But Mr Burston says Miss Hanson gave him no grounds for expulsion and he will take action to have the decision overturned. ""There she told me that I was expelled from the party,"" he said. ""I have received the fax from Pauline Hanson which indicates that I have been expelled, but there's no reason for my expulsion which again is not lawful. ""I must be given reasonable grounds as to why I have been expelled, but I would suggest it's a matter of convenience for her, nothing else."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" East Timor's most notorious militia leader, Eurico Guterres, faces up to six years' in jail after being arrested on weapons charges. Guterres allegedly told his militiamen to defy orders to disarm and to hide their weapons. East Timorese independence leader Xanana Gusmao has cautiously welcomed the arrest of Guterres, but says it remains only an attempt to please the international community if militias remain active in West Timor. Guterres may face more serious charges. On Monday he was named as a suspect in the massacre of refugees in East Timor's capital, Dili, in April last year. Four months later, Guterres' Aitarak militia led the destruction of much of Dili soon after East Timor's independence vote. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Israeli and Palestinian leaders are to take part in emergency talks in Paris early this evening to end the violence in the Middle East. More than 60 people, mostly Palestinians, have been killed in six days of violence on the West Bank in and Gaza and Arab towns in Israel. The talks take place as the Israeli army warns the situation could get much worse. United Nations secretary general Kofi Annan has described the situation as close to all-out war. In the latest violence Israeli tanks and helicopters destroyed Palestinian positions near Rafa in Gaza and two more Palestinians died in gun battles near Romala. Nearly all the dead so far are Palestinians or Israeli Arabs so too are most of the 1,500 wounded. But Israel's Army Deputy Chief of Staff Major General Moshe Yallon suspects worse is to come, suggesting more Palestinian groups could start attacks on civilians. It is not clear if Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat will meet face to face in Paris. They are expected to have talks with Kofi Annan, French President Jacques Chirac and US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright. ____________________________________________________________________"

" One Nation MP David Oldfield is accusing Pauline Hanson of being irrational and over-emotional in expelling him from the party. Mr Oldfield says he will continue to act as a One Nation MP despite receiving his dismissal notice. Miss Hanson this morning announced she had sacked Mr Oldfield after an incident yesterday where she locked him and his staff out of their Sydney office. She claims the decision to expel him was taken at a meeting of the party's national executive but Mr Oldfield disputes this. ""The National executive did not meet last night anyway, that is just a furphy on her behalf,"" Mr Oldfield said. ""This is just something they've determined this morning with a bit of a ring around. ""This is just a furtherment of three weeks of emotional and irrational behaviour."" But Miss Hanson says it is him who cannot be trusted and he has to go. ""He's out of the party, the umpire's decision is final and he's got his 'No GST Party' -- let him go and work on that."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" India and Russia signed a series of multi-million dollar arms contracts, as well as a wide-ranging defence accord on military and technical cooperation. The weapons contracts involved the licensed production in India of Sukhoi SU-30M fighters, as well as the export and licensed production of T-90 battle tanks. A third contract was for a Russian aircraft carrier which Moscow is offering for free, with India picking up the tab for a complete re-fit. Information officer at the Indian defence ministry, Samir Sinha says all three deals were finalised and signed this morning. The signing of the contracts had been delayed amid last-minute haggling over prices, and Mr Sinha gave no details of the final value of the deals which initial estimates had put at well over $1 billion. The defence accord signed by Indian Defence Minister George Fernandes and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Ilya Klebanov envisaged the creation of an Indo-Russian commission on military-technical cooperation. The commission will be headed by Mr Fernandes and Mr Klebanov. India has racked up a mountain of debt through its heavy arms purchases from the former Soviet Union and still owes an estimated $4.5 billion. ____________________________________________________________________"

" AFL tribunal chairman has called the AFL's anti-doping code ridiculous and has called for the re-writing of some sections. The comments came after he was forced to hand down an ineffective sentence to former West Coast Eagles defender Nicholas Stone, who pleaded guilty to taking amphetamines. The tribunal accepted Stone took the drug last June by mistake but the code does absolve him from responsibility for doing so. However, the code's wording instructs all sanctions imposed must take effect from the date of the tribunal finding. Therefore a six-week ban handed down means Stone will miss no games. However, Stone has missed every game since he tested positive in June and says his experience should serve as a lesson to others not to leave drinks unattended in clubs. ""Be very careful yes, but that's the mistake I made so I suppose I've paid the penalty and now I just want to head back to Perth and hopefully get back on top playing footy next year,"" he said. ____________________________________________________________________"

" There has been another bout of infighting inside the One Nation party, with claims Pauline Hanson locked herself inside a party office. One Nation's New South Wales MP David Oldfield says the party leader tried to change the locks and sack staff at the party's office at Manly in Sydney. Mr Oldfield claims he and colleagues were forced to wait outside yesterday for two hours, until Ms Hanson left. He says internal party disputes can be solved by rational people - but he accuses his party leader of acting irrationally. ""We were locked out because Pauline Hanson arrived with a locksmith to try and change the locks and in the midst of that she caused herself to be locked up inside of her own volition,"" he said. ""Really she locked herself in, it was a bit like the Alamo, I think she thinks she's a Texan."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Mark Chapman, the man who shot dead singer John Lennon in 1980, has been denied parole in his first attempt to gain release from prison. He is serving his sentence at the maximum-security Attica State Prison in New York. The parole board called Chapman's killing of Lennon ""calculated and unprovoked"". It said releasing him at this time would deprecate the seriousness of the crime and serve to undermine respect for the law. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Cape York Land Council says the Wik native title decision is a triumph of the spirit and determination of Aboriginal people. The Wik and Wik-Way People were today granted native title over 6,000 square kilometres of unallocated crown land on western Cape York Peninsula. It has taken them seven years of negotiation to settle their claim out of court. But council chairman Richie Ah Mat says the Wik people have been struggling for 20 years for recognition of their cultural and legal rights. ""It goes to show that the Aboriginal spirit can never, ever be broken by whatever decision is made in the High Court in this country or the politicians,"" he said. ""The Aboriginal spirit will never, ever be broken in this country. ""We are here to stay for a long, long time and we will never, ever give up."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Federal Opposition leader Kim Beazley says the Labor Party would not support any changes to Northern Territory's land rights laws without the informed consent of Indigenous people. Mr Beazley was responding to reports the Federal Government is considering changes to the Territory's Land Rights Act as part of its response to the Reeves review. NT Chief Minister Denis Burke is in Canberra to discuss native title issues and other matters with the Prime Minister. Mr Beazley says Mr Howard should not bow to any requests to wind-back land and sea rights. ""I hope one of the things that Mr Howard says to Mr Burke when he meets him over the course of the next couple of days is this -'I'm not going to be part of your election ploys',"" Mr Beazley said. ""And 'the Australian people have spoken on reconciliation, it's time you got the smarts brother'."""

" Jakarta is on alert for violence from supporters of the Suharto family should Tommy end up in the capital's Cipinang jail. A series of bomb blasts coincided with attempts to try the elder Suharto on separate corruption charges. That case was dropped last Thursday because of Suharto's ill health, triggering a wave of running street battles between angry students and police that injured more than 50. Last month President Wahid, who is currently overseas, had separately ordered Tommy be arrested in relation to the spate of bomb blasts in the capital, but police have so far ignored the order. Officials at the South Jakarta Attorney-General's office had previously said the racing car driver would be sent to jail immediately unless he sought a Presidential pardon. But today, one Government official said the South Jakarta Court, which last year acquitted Tommy in the case, now had 14 days from the pardon request to decide if he should be jailed anyway, even while President Wahid was making his decision. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Brisbane Broncos winger Wendell Sailor has been named in a full-strength Australian team for this Saturday's rugby league Test against Papua New Guinea in Townsville. Australian team officials have backed Sailor and opted against disciplinary action following his arrest for drunkeness outside a Townsville nightclub early Monday morning. Sailor was charged over the incident and spent four hours in the Townsville watchhouse before joining the team at training yesterday. Brad Fittler will captain the side comprised of Darren Lockyer, Mat Rogers, Ryan Girdler, Matthew Gidley, Sailor, Brett Kimmorely, Scott Hill, Bryan Fletcher, Gorden Tallis, Robbie Kearns, Shane Webcke, Adam McDougall, Jason Croker, Darren Britt and Jason Stevens. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Pro-Jakarta militia leader Eurico Guterres has been named as one of four new suspects in an investigation into violence and human rights violations in East Timor last year. Twenty-two suspects have now been named in a probe which is due to end later this month. Guterres, leader of the feared Aitarak militia group, is due to be interviewed on Friday for his alleged role in a deadly attack on the Dili home of pro-independence leader, Manuel Carrascalao on April 17 last year. Lieutenent Colonel Endarpriatna, the Dili military chief at the time was also named as a suspect in relation to the attack. Two other new suspects, leader of the Mahidi militia, Vasco de Cruz and Motornus, a member of the Laskar were named for their alleged role on the attack on refugees, priests, and others in a church in Suai, days after the people of East Timor voted for independence. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" SOCOG chief executive Sandy Hollway says he bears no grudges for not receiving the Olympic movement's highest non-sporting honour. Olympics Minister Michael Knight moved to stop Mr Hollway being given the Olympic gold order, despite an International Olympic Committee (IOC) executive board decision to award the honour to Mr Hollway. Mr Hollway received a silver order and says he does not feel slighted after being part of such a team effort. ""[I was part] of a very, very wide team that embraces...not just SOCOG [and] Sydney 2000, but the entire community,"" he said. ""I genuinely don't [feel slighted], I just feel privileged to have played a part in delivering something which I will always look back on with immense affections [as] will all Australians...it's been one of the high points of my career to have done that."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A 30 per cent jump in the number of HIV cases this year has prompted a swift reaction from the State Government. The Government has promised to upgrade its safe-sex campaign after it was revealed there has been an increase in unsafe sexual practices. It is believed even higher rates of HIV and AIDS infection could follow. The Health Minister, John Thwaites, has warned against complacency. ""It seems that because treatment for HIV is getting better, some people are forgetting the safe sex message,"" he said. ""But you can't forget the safe sex message, because HIV and AIDS is still something that we only have pharmaceuticals to treat but we don't have a cure for it."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Fifty thousand litres of diesel fuel has spilt from a storage facility in the Torres Strait. Authorities are still working to contain the massive spill which occured on Horn Island last Thursday night. A spokeswoman for the Environmental Protection Agency says it is largely a land-based spill and efforts are underway to prevent fuel reaching the sea. Authorities are concerned about the potential damage to mangroves in the area and experts from the Department of Primary Industries have been sent to the scene. Police are investigating the cause of the spill, which they are treating as suspicious. They have seized several pieces of equipment, including part of the pipe which was carrying the fuel, as evidence. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Prime Minister John Howard says he expects the debate over a formal apology to the Stolen Generations will continue now that the Olympics has ended. Mr Howard says the Sydney Games demonstrated Australia is a cohesive country and Cathy Freeman's win showed Australians are more ""reconciled"" than some people had allowed for. But Mr Howard says there will still be differing views on the issue of an apology. ""That is an issue like 101 other political issues that will go on being debated,"" he said. ""The fact that we have a tremendously positive feeling as a result of the Games doesn't alter the fact and should not alter the fact that proper debate about these issues will resume and will continue."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Palestinian Authority has announced it will conditionally accept a ceasefire and Israel also says it will stop firing, ending renewed clashes that left 12 dead today. The prospect of a ceasefire came after fighting left more than 30 dead since Friday. In some West Bank towns and in Gaza there were gun battles between Israeli troops and Palestinian police lasting hours and Israel sent helicopters into action, at one stage firing missiles at a Palestinian command. Twelve people died, one of them the first soldier from Israeli forces to be killed, as the conflict spilt over from the Palestinian territories on to Israeli soil. One seven-year-old and one 10-year-old were among the Palestinians reported dead. With Palestinian suggestions that a further deterioration could see Israeli civilians targeted, Israel has deployed tanks near several towns even as reports emerged of the possible ceasefire. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" American golfer David Duval has won the latest tour event in the United States, the Buick Challenge, at Pine Mountain in Georgia. He shot a four-round total of 19-under par, two strokes clear of fellow American Jeff Maggert and Zimbabwe's Nick Price. ""It's surprising to come back this way,"" Duval, who earned $765,000, said. Even more stunning was the way he won. Trailing by two strokes with three holes to play, Duval hit a wedge to 60 centimetres for birdie on number 17, then hit a wedge over the 18th flag to 1.2 metres for birdie. Maggert lost the lead for the first time since Thursday, but regained it and led by as many as two strokes on the back nine until bogeys on the 16th and 17th doomed his chances. Price also bogeyed the 17th and the look on their faces showed their disgust. As Duval knocked in his birdie putt, Price stood in the 18th fairway with hands on his hips, while Maggert folded his arms and stared at the ground. ""I just made a few too many bogeys,"" Maggert, who finished with a 70, said. Price caught a nasty lie in the first cut of rough on the 17th, not sure whether it would come out six feet long or six feet short. His chip came up short and he failed to save par. He had a 68."

" Today was the last full day of Olympic competition, and the medals kept coming for Australia. The women's basketball team, the Opals, faced the United States in the gold medal match. The sides looked even early, before quick fouls to Jenny Whittle saw the six-foot six-inch centre benched. From there the US took control, leading by 13 at the break. A Kristi Harrower-led revival saw the Opals pull as close as eight, before the margin drew back out into double digits. The US went on to win 74-52 and take gold, with the Opals winning silver. It is the best ever result for an Australian basketball team."

" Daniel Trenton has taken silver in his over 80 kilogram class tae kwon do final, losing 7-2 Kim Kyong-Hun of South Korea. The 23-year-old battled hard in the final, but found the Korean's six-inch height advantage too much to make up. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Israeli soldiers have killed 15 Palestinians in the worst day of violence between the two sides in years. While 500 Palestinians were wounded, many critically, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak says his troops exercised maximum restraint. What began in Jerusalem two days ago spread throughout the Palestinian territories, the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Palestinian officials have accused Israel of a shoot-to-kill policy, citing the number of head wounds among the casualties. But as Israeli troops opened up on stone-throwing protesters with live rounds, as well as rubber bullets and tear gas, Israel's Prime Minister was insisting the army was acting with restraint. The most deadly exchanges came when Israeli troops and Palestinian police exchanged fire in Gaza and Nablis, among the Palestinian dead from those clashes a 12-year-old boy."

" A large military and police task force pounced on Jolo two weeks ago to destroy the separatist group and rescue 19 hostages, the remnants of a five-month kidnapping spree in which nearly three dozen captives, including Westerners, were ransomed off for millions of dollars. Two Frenchmen escaped from Susukan's custody on September 19 in the campaign's only significant success so far. Major General Narciso Abaya, commander of the assault, said the operation would ""take quite some time"" as the kidnappers were fleeing and not standing their ground. Fighting was ongoing in the Jolo towns of Talipao, Maimbung and Indanan, as well as in surrounding villages, despite heavy rains pounding the island, he said. The clash raised the Abu Sayyaf death toll to 114."

" A senior Abu Sayyaf leader, Radulan Sahiron, had been reported killed while Susukan and one other commander, Galib Andang alias ""Commander Robot"", were said to have been wounded. Major General Abaya said his intelligence agents had been trying to verify the claimed death. He said the guerrillas had killed one of the agents. The Government has admitted to four soldiers and three civilians dead. However, Jolo residents said many more civilians had been killed by bombing and shelling. Nearly 63,000 civilians have been displaced by the violence and Roman Catholic church groups are questioning the handling of the operation. About 400 residents of Jolo staged a protest rally at a Government university today, calling for a halt to the offensive which they said was affecting mainly civilians. Philippine police chief Panfilo Lacson told state-run TV he could not set a timetable for the assault, but emphasised that the safety of the hostages remained the main priority. In a radio interview, Defence Secretary Orlando Mercado expressed optimism that the assault would ""not last much longer"". ""The order of President Joseph Estrada is not to stop,"" he said. ----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Chinese police have rounded up nearly 1,000 members of the outlawed Falungong spiritual group at a protest in Tiananmen Square on China's National Day. The protest was the largest by the group since it was banned as an ""evil cult"" in July last year. The Falungong members, who had announced their intention to gather several days ago, surged onto the square about 8:15am local time carrying banners and leaflets. They were beaten, dragged and shoved into buses and vans by police. An army unit of 500 soldiers surrounded the centre of the square, stopping people entering. But groups of up to 50 people rushed into the middle of the square, where they unveiled banners and were immediately arrested by police. After one group was arrested, other groups followed."

" Protesters were kicked, punched and pushed on to buses. A woman with a small child in her arms was hit by police. Several children among the protesters were also arrested. The Falungong members continued shouting ""Falun Dafa is good. It's the real law"", using another name for Falungong. An AFP news agency reporter saw about 10 buses with 50 followers aboard and 15 police vans with up to 25 practitioners each on the square, which was filled with tourists. The group's US-based website, Minghui.ca, which is overseen by founder Li Hongzhi, for the first time openly told followers to go to Tiananmen Square on National Day, contrary to previous claims that the group does not organise demonstrations and that members act of their own free will. The movement was banned by the authorities in July 1999. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Norway's Knut Holmann has won the K1 1000 final on the canoeing course at Penrith Lakes. Holmann was the favourite to win the event, having won gold in Atlanta. Bulgarian paddler Petar Merkov who is competing despite facing drug allegations finished second. Germany's Andreas Dittmer has won the C1 1000 final and the German crew has won the women's K4 1000. The silver medal went to Hungary and the bronze to Romania."

" There is renewed pressure to allow women to have access to the so-called abortion pill, RU-486, following the American decision to approve the drug. RU-486, or Mifepristone, works hormonally to induce an abortion, bypassing surgery. It has been widely available in Europe since it was first approved in France 12 years ago, but in Australia it can only be imported after receiving ministerial approval. Democrats leader Meg Lees says the legislative restriction must be removed. ""This isn't about a termination, this is for a women who has decided she does not want a pregnancy,"" she said. ""She should be able to very early in the piece go to her doctor and say `look this is the situation I'm in or I think I'm in, can I have some medication?' ""It is a pill as opposed to waiting some weeks maybe months down the track for a confirmation of a pregnancy and then a surgical procedure."""

" Thousands of Yugoslav opposition supporters have taken part in the second of two major rallies in Belgrade's central square to try to force President Slobodan Milosevic from office. It is the latest in a series of protests across the country, which have included a call for a general strike on Monday. A spokesman for the student group, OTPOUR, Aljiosho Javevic, which has been instrumental in mobilising opposition to the regime in recent months, said the aim was to paralyse the country. ""We are working together with the opposition on the same goal, which is stopping Serbia for a couple of days so Slobodan Milosevic faces the situation where nothing works in Serbia and then he will have no choice but to leave,"" he said."

" Opposition protests are gathering momentum across Yugoslavia in an attempt to force President Milosevic to give up power after he apparently lost elections. Students walked out of schools, taxi drivers blocked traffic, workers at several companies went on strike and cinemas and theatres closed in the capital Belgrade. The demonstrators say opposition leader Vojislav Kostunica won a majority of last weekend's vote, and they have rejected plans by Milosevic supporters for a run-off election. The Milosevic Government has so far not responded to a compromise offer by Mr Kostunica of an internationally supervised re-count. Opposition politician Zarco Korak says mass action is the only way to get President Milosevic to quit. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" It is in return for a visit to Pyongyang in May 1999 by former US defence secretary William Perry, whom Mr Clinton had asked to review US policy toward the isolated Stalinist state, one of the most inscrutable in the world. The stakes for the United States are high because of the 37,000 US troops based in South Korea, across the demilitarised zone from North Korea, and because it sees danger in North Korea's ballistic-missile programs. US State Department spokesman Richard Boucher, announcing the visit in a statement, said both countries hoped that it would help reduce the tensions on the peninsula. ""The United States and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea believe that Special Envoy Jo's visit constitutes an important step forward in improving bilateral relations and will contribute to the goal of ending the long-standing state of hostility on the Korean peninsula,"" he said. A State Department official said Dr Albright was ""very pleased"" that the North Koreans were sending such a high-ranking envoy. ""There have been historic events taking place on the Korean peninsula and this visit will provide the best opportunity for serious talks and progress that are central to peace and stability in north-east Asia,"" he said. Trade boost Meanwhile, North and South Korea have agreed to set up a joint committee to advance economic cooperation and trade. The agreement was reached at ministerial talks on the southern island of Cheju. Major projects between the two countries include the construction of a railway and an expressway across the heavily fortified border and joint anti-flood work on the Imjin River near the border. The thaw between the two rival Koreas follows a landmark inter-Korean summit in June between President Kim Dae-Jung and Kim Jong-Il. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Cuba's Ivan Pedroso, the world's finest long jumper for the past five years, has finally won Olympic gold, his last gasp 8.55 metres jump denying the Australian home favourite Jai Taurima after an absorbing duel. The bronze medal was won by the Ukraine's Roman Schurenko, with 8.31m. It all came down to the final leap. Taurima had been a man inspired all night, the capacity crowd in Stadium Australia roaring him to a new level of performance, seeing him twice break his own Australian record and taking the lead with a mark of 8.49 metres. In a long jump competition the likes of which has not been seen in a major championship since the duel between Mike Powell and Carl Lewis at the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo, Pedroso needed to summon up all his experience in the sixth and final round to better Taurima's mark. Taurima, who had responded to every opponent's challenge all night, was asked once again to out-jump his previous best. But on this occasion he was found wanting and had to settle for the silver medal. The Australian men's hockey team has failed again in its quest to win its first Olympic gold medal. The Kookaburras lost a dramatic semi-final to the Netherlands. The match was forced into a penalty shoot-out when neither side scored in 85 minutes of regular and extra time. The Dutch won the shoot-out 5-4 when Dutch goalkeeper Ronald Jansen saved Brent Livermore's penalty stroke. Day 14 of the Games will see 12 gold medals decided, with the Australian women's hockey team playing Argentina for gold. The defending gold medallist Hockeyroos take on Argentina for the gold medal tonight. Several Australians are in medal contention in track and field today: Debbie Sosimenko in the hammer throw, Dmitri Markov and Viktor Tchistiakov in pole vault and Nathan Deakes in the 50 kilometre walk. Marion Jones from the US will be hoping to win her third gold of the Games in the women's long jump and world record holder Hicham el Guerrouj from Morocco goes for gold in the 1,500 metres. After two gold medals in sailing yesterday, there is the chance of another medal today. Australia's Michael Blackburn is third in the Laser with two races to go but he is well behind the leader on points. In kayaking, several Australians will be hoping to qualify for finals. Nathan Baggaley is in the semi of the K1 500, Daniel Collins and Andrew Trim in the men's K2 500 and Katrin Borchert and Anna Wood in the women's K2 500. The men's water polo team faces Yugoslavia in the quarter-finals. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The captain and three crew members of a Greek ferry boat that sank killing at least 63 people have been charged with multiple counts of murder. Investigators are focusing on reports that the ship, loaded with more than 500 passengers, was apparently on automatic pilot minutes before striking a well-marked rocky outcrop. Those reports bolster accounts by survivors that crew members were watching a soccer match on television on the night the ship sank. Efforts by navy divers and rescue crews to find up to a dozen missing people are being hampered by a fierce gale. Fisherman Andreas Petrides says the ferry route was well known and the rocks were clearly marked by a lighthouse. ""Somebody made a mistake, a real mistake, and this mistake has meant people are lost and the other people could lose their lives,"" Mr Petrides said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Opposition in Yugoslavia is threatening to call a general strike, shutting down schools, offices and other public institutions until President Slobodan Milosevic steps aside. The call is an attempt to increase pressure on the Yugoslav leader, who is trying to survive after finishing second to opposition leader Vojislav Kostunica in Sunday's election. The State Election Commission says Mr Kostunica earned 48 per cent of the vote to 38 per cent for Mr Milosevic, meaning a run-off election would have to be held. But the Opposition is refusing to take part, claiming Mr Kostunica won outright. Meanwhile, the influential Serbian Orthodox Church has recognised Mr Kostunica's election victory, addressing him as ""President-elect."" While the church holds no direct political power in Yugoslavia its moral influence among Serbs is immense. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A United States court has ruled that an Australian accused of spying against the US is mentally fit to stand trial. Jean-Philippe Wispelaere, 29, is facing a prison-term if he is found guilty of trying to sell top secret documents to spies from an unnamed country. Federal Court Judge Leonie Brinkema, after hearing evidence from medical experts, ruled Wispelaere had been suffering from a mental disease, but said he was fit to stand trial on charges of attempting to sell top-secret US defence documents to a foreign power. The judge rejected evidence from US Government appointed clinical psychologists, who said the former employee of the Australian Defence Intelligence Organisation was not mentally ill and was malingering. Wispelaere's lawyer Nina Ginsberg, told the court she wanted to visit Australia to obtain information being withheld from her by Australian authorities. No date has been set for the trial. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Police in Jakarta are on high alert because of fears of bomb attacks and clashes connected with the corruption trial of former president Suharto. A judge has demanded the 79-year-old former leader appear in court today, but Suharto's lawyers say he is too sick to face questioning. Hundreds of police will guard the courtroom where Suharto is due to appear to face corruption charges. Two previous sessions of the case have been followed by street clashes between pro and anti-Suharto supporters. Suharto was accused of syphoning off more than $1 billion from state charties to enrich his family and business chronies. Today a judge will decide on the findings of an independent team of 24 doctors which examined Suharto to see if he is well enough to be questioned in court. His own doctors say that after three strokes the former leader cannot understand questions or speak clearly. Overnight, an explosion occurred outside a human rights office in Jakarta, but officials say no damage was caused and no injuries were reported. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Opponents of President Milosevic are urging Serbs to blockade all Government institutions in an effort to force him to admit election defeat. The President is continuing to ignore claims the main opposition leader, Vojislav Kostunica, won a majority vote in last weekend's election. A rally in Belgrade was told people should invent their own methods of civil disobediance, but ensure they stick to peaceful means."

" Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid has bowed to intense pressure and pledged to hand responsiblity for the day-to-day running of the Government to his Vice-President, Megawati Sukarnoputri. ""I will charge the Vice-President with executing the daily technical tasks, drawing up the Cabinet working agenda and to establishing the focus and priority of the Government,"" President Wahid told the national assembly. In a speech read out by cabinet secretary Marsilam Simanjuntak, the President said Megawati, the daughter of the country's founding president Sukarno, would be accountable to the President for the implementation of the tasks she carried out. He says that delegation of powers is within the constitutional framework of the presidential system. Immediately after the announcement, Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono said he was optimistic at the power sharing plan. ""I think there is going to be a clear understanding about the mechanism between the two,"" he said. ""The President will deal with the macro aspects and strategic concerns. The Vice-President will deal with day-to-day policy and coordination."" President Wahid, 60, made the announcement in reply to sharp criticism by the MPR members, who flayed him relentlessly for Government inactivity and accused him of failing to accelerate economic recovery. His leadership and management style during the first nine months of his five year term as Indonesia's first democratically-elected President has been the target of rising criticism. The major factions in the Assembly spent the last two days lobbying for a transfer of authority to Megawati, saying it was the only way he would be given a second chance. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Floods are continuing to cause chaos across eastern India and Bangladesh affecting more than 16 million people. Official estimates put the death toll in India at as many as 750. West Bengal's been the hardest hit state, though neighbouring Behar has also been affected by the week of heavy rains. In Bangladesh, which has received overspill from the Indian floods, more than a million people in six border districts are underwater. West Bengal's densely populated capital Calcutta is also bracing itself. Flood warnings have been sounded and several areas evacuated. Across the state, relief efforts have been hampered by looting and rioting in relief camps. There are also allegations of mismanagement and corruption. Road and rail links remain cut and the crisis is showing no signs of easing. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" British Prime Minister Tony Blair has accepted blame for the Government falling behind the Conservative Party in public opinion polls for the first time in eight years. Mr Blair has addressed the Labour Party conference in Brighton. It was an important speech for Mr Blair, whose Government has seen an alarming 20-point slump in the polls in the last two months. Challenged by a petrol blockade which nearly stopped the country, a Millennium Dome costing billions and acknowledged by ministers as a flop and a none too secret brawl with his Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, Labour's confidence has been seriously shaken. But at the party conference, Mr Blair took responsibility for the blunders and pledged that he was listening to the people. At the same time, he pledged to take the fight up to the Tories in the next election. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Police are about to resume a search for a teenage surfer taken by a shark on South Australia's west coast yesterday, the second fatal shark attack in the State's west in two days. Up to 10 boats searched the coast near Elliston until dusk last night but crews failed to find any trace of the 17-year-old from Port Lincoln. The only item recovered from the attack was the surfer's board, which was in several pieces. Police, local fishermen and State Emergency Service volunteers will be on the water again today. They will also be checking local coves to see if anything has washed up on the overnight tide. Police are also reviewing a search for a 25-year-old New Zealand man who disappeared after being attacked by a shark at Cactus Beach on the far west coast on Sunday. Reports on both attacks are being prepared for the coroner. Surfers on South Australia's west coast say they will be staying out of the water for the moment. The attacks have shocked the normally laid-back surfing communities, with many of even the most dedicated surfers saying they will be staying on land. Among them Queenslander David Maitland, who is in the region for a three-month surfing holiday, says he will not venture back into the water for at least a few weeks. ""Everybody's in a bit of a shock,"" he said. ""I don't think it's sunk in yet, but it's going to be in people's heads for a while."" -----------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Transport Safety Bureau has concluded that fuel quality and quantity were not factors which contributed to the fatal crash of a Whyalla Airlines plane in May. Eight people died when a Piper Chieftain ditched into Spencer Gulf, after both engines failed. During a court hearing in Adelaide in July, questions were raised about whether the engine failure was caused by use of excessively lean fuel. The suggestion was denied by the airline. An interim report from the Australian Transport Safety Bureau says the aircraft's left engine failed from a crankshaft fracture, most likely resulting from thermal stress. The report says the right engine failed because of a hole in one of the engine's pistons. A final report into the crash is expected this year. -------------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Caltex is considering legal action to break blockades which have stopped fuel deliveries from three Melbourne oil terminals. Truck drivers angry about skyrocketing fuel prices are calling for similar action around the country. The drivers want Australia to abandon world parity pricing which helps with conservation but pushes up prices and they want a royal commission into pricing. They are targeting terminals at Yarraville, Newport and Altona, saying high prices are making their businesses unprofitable. The protest is based on a British model that crippled the country. At this stage, they are yet to attract support from the transport workers union or motoring organisations. Drivers' spokeswoman Lyn Bennetts says there has been a big jump in trucking costs between Melbourne and Sydney. ""Our increaased price is $200 to $300 a trip and if you times that by a week that's $1,500 a week...a massive $6,000 extra per month,"" she said. The blockade has had little immediate effect, but Richard Beattie from Caltex says the lawyers will be called in today. ""We're keen to get fuel moving from Newport very quickly,"" he said. Meanwhile, the Transport Workers Union is meeting today to discuss the next phase in a campaign for better pay rates and reduced fuel costs. Union secretary Andrew Whale says drivers have condemned the Federal Government over its refusal to introduce minimum pay rates and to freeze the fuel excise. Mr Whale says options being considered include European style blockades. But he says there is concern that stoppages could add to the financial hardships of many truck drivers. ""It's a huge financial burden - some drivers are saying it's cheap if they leave their truck at home because they just can't get enough to keep it going,"" he said. ""Others are so tight that if they take it off the road for a minute then they reckon they'll lose the truck because the margins are just nothing out there."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has urged national and international business leaders to look beyond the plunge in the value of the Australian dollar. Speaking at a business dinner in Sydney, Mr Howard argued Australia was able to weather the Asian economic crisis largely due to its flexible exchange rate. The Prime Minister says Australia's economic framework is sound and does not need changing, despite the dollar's weakness. ""It is important to remember that when you operate in the environment of a flexible exchange rate as we do and as we continue to do, it is very important to remember to take a longer view and not to take a short-term view in relation to the relative comparisons of the exchange rate values of the Australian dollar,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australians are reported to be among seven oil experts who have gone missing from the desert in eastern Yemen where they were working. Yemen security officials say the experts lost their way in the Thamoud Desert area and have been missing since Saturday morning. Yemeni Army helicopters are apparently searching in the Empty Quarter, a vast desert region near the Saudi border with potentially lucrative oil deposits. However, Western diplomats say the experts were taken by Saudi armed forces who accused them of surveying inside Saudi territory. The diplomats say contact is being made between Yemeni and Saudi officials to reach an agreement for their release, but Saudi officials say they are unaware of such an incident. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Heavy rain is expected to continue in the north-east of India where more than six million people have been marooned by rising flood waters, which are also running into neighbouring Bangladesh. The late monsoon rains have claimed at least 250 lives in the state of West Bengal and unofficial estimates put the death toll at 400. The situation became critical late last week when sluice gates of at least three major rivers were open to stop dams bursting. Officials in neighbouring Bangladesh say that has also caused a crisis in areas along the western frontier with India. A total of 50,000 Bangladeshis from 30 villages have been left homeless. Across flood hit districts in both countries, road and rail link have been cut with the only relief coming in the form of helicopter food drops. In Vietnam's Mekong delta, the death toll from flooding has hit 100, while close to 140 people have died in flood-related incidents in Cambodia."

" The Owner-Drivers Association says there are no plans for a fuel refinery blockade in Western Australia. Association president Steve Melville says the Melbourne action will only affect the eastern seaboard. He says while there may be ad hoc stoppages in Western Australia, the association believes a better course of action is to make consumers pay more for freight, to try to force the Government to lower taxes. The local branch of the Transport Workers Union says it has no intention of taking any blockading action in Western Australia. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Indonesia's President Abdurrahman Wahid has reportedly told the Indonesian military that if they cannot restore order in West Timor, the Americans might go in and do it. US officials in Jakarta were quick to say they have no such plan, which would involve sending US troops into Indonesian territory. Unless order is restored in West Timor, where militia roamed freely in refugee camps for East Timorese, Mr Wahid said United Nations and US forces might intervene. He said there are rumours 800 US marines might go to West Timor to protect UN refugee workers, although the US embassy in Jakarta has denied the existence of such a plan."

" The world's richest nations have ruled out the idea of pushing oil prices lower through tax cuts. Despite protests around the world against rising fuel prices, the finance ministers of the G7 group of industrialised nations decided not to cut oil taxes. The ministers have been gathered in Prague ahead of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund annual meeting. They say increased production is the best way to reduce crude oil prices, which recently hit a 10-year high. US Treasury Secretary Lawrence Summers says oil prices are ""the biggest cloud"" over the global economy. Meanwhile, mounting concerns over soaring oil prices are set to dominate the three-day Asia Pacific Petroleum Conference starting Monday in Singapore. Key speakers from the conference, including the chairman of Caltex Corporation and vice-president of the New York Mercantile Exchange, are likely to call for continued global efforts to calm the relentless surge in oil prices."

" Oil prices have eased somewhat after the United States decided to dip into its emergency reserves, but they remain stubbornly stuck above $US30 a barrel, casting a shadow over the region's recovery from the economic crisis in 1997 and 1998. Benchmark light sweet crude for November delivery shed $US1.32 to close at $US32.68 a barrel in New York on Friday. In London, Brent crude closed down $US1.48 at $US31.25. The move by the US to pump out 30 million barrels over 30 days from its Strategic Petroleum Reserve is only a temporary solution to calm high oil prices, traders said. Economists say high oil prices will hurt the region more so than their Western counterparts because they are not as efficient in the usage of oil. Already, leaders from some of the biggest economies in the region have voiced fears that growth could slow down as escalating oil prices result in higher inflation. Ironically, it is the region's rebound from the financial meltdown that drove up demand for oil as the Asian industrial engines kicked into recovery mode."

" The Americans have taken out the last two swimming events at the Olympics winning gold in both the 4x100 metres medley relays. The women's team slashed more than three-and-a-half seconds off the world record. The team of BJ Bedford, Megan Quann, Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres finished in 3:58.3 minutes. The Australians, Dyana Calub, Leisel Jones, Petria Thomas and Susie O'Neill, won silver and Japan won the bronze. The Australians set a new Australian record, finishing inside the former world record. In the men's event the Americans broke the record while the Australians finished four-tenths of a second outside the old mark. The US team, Lenny Krayzelburg, Ed Moses, Ian Crocker and Gary Hall Jr, finished in 3:33.71 minutes taking 1.1 seconds off the old record time. The Australian team of Matthew Welsh, Regan Harrison, Geoff Huegill and Michael Klim took silver, setting an Australian record in the process. Germany won bronze."

" On a day when seven rowing finals were decided, Steve Redgrave hogged the Olympic limelight, winning a fifth consecutive gold as his British crew outclassed the Italians in the men's coxless four. In a thrilling race, the British led from the front, opening up a 0.88 second lead in the first 500 metres before the Italian four stormed back into contention. At 1,000 metres, the British lead was slashed to 0.46 seconds, setting up a nail-biting finish. As Italians pressed hard in the final 500 metres, the British crew responded by lifting their stroke rate to 40 a minute to win by less than half a second in 5 minutes, 56.24 seconds. Australia, which won the event at the past two Olympics but fielded a completely new crew, came third. ""It was close, but that doesn't matter,"" said Redgrave, whose gold tally is bettered only by Hungarian fencer Aladar Gerevich, who won six gold medals between 1932 and 1960. Meanwhile, James Tomkins, Australia's greatest rower, was disappointed after failing to secure his third Olympic gold, but says he will not retire. ""I'm seriously thinking about going on,"" he said after winning bronze. ""I think I'm in pretty good nick at the moment and I think the results, what we've done, have shown that."" Tomkins won gold in Barcelona and Atlanta as part of the now-disbanded Oarsome Foursome. In other races, world champion Rob Waddell gave New Zealand its first gold of the Games in the men's single sculls. ""It was nice in the last 300 to feel I was holding,"" said Waddell who got off to a good start and built up a one-length lead with 250 metres to go. ""I raced well and held my pace."""

" East Timorese leader Jose Ramos-Horta says the United States Government is prepared to impose sanctions on Indonesia if it does not restore order in the troubled state. He was speaking at a news conference at the annual meeting of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank in Prague. Mr Ramos-Horta says he has ""assurances"" from the US Government and Congress that there will be serious economic repercussions if the Indonesian Government does not get its act together. Following international pressure over the killing of three UN aid workers in West Timor, Indonesia said yesterday it had begun to disarm the militias."

" Meanwhile, two former soldiers have been jailed for printing more than $4 million in counterfiet banknotes. The pair had claimed that Indonesia's army chief had ordered them to carry out the forgery to pay militiamen in Timor. A judge in Jakarta has sentenced the two ex-servicemen, both in their 60s, to seven and four years in jail respectively. The judge said the sentences for Ismail Putra and Edeh Kereh would have been stiffer if not for both mens exemplary service records. But Putra, a former combat intelligence unit member, claimed he was acting under orders from General Tyasno Sudarto, former intelligence head and now Indonesian Army chief. Putra claimed General Tyasno said former military commander General Wiranto had ordered a counterfeit money operation to fund pro-Indonesia militias in Timor. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, denies his criticism of New Zealand's amnesty for long-term illegal immigrants is racist. Mr Ruddock has expressed disappointment at the amnesty, saying unlawful entrants to New Zealand will become citizens who are able to move freely to Australia. The New Zealand Opposition says many over-stayers are Pacific Islanders and it has accused Mr Ruddock of veiled racism. But the Minister says that is not the case. ""It certainly has nothing to do with people's race. I've asserted that you should not reward illegality and that the experience here in Australia, with amnesties has led to more illegal movement of people,"" he said. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Environment Minister, Robert Hill, says the Government will not consider trade sanctions against Japan over its latest breach of International Whaling Commission rules. The United States says sanctions are a definite option after a vessel returned to Tokyo carrying two species of whale that are protected under American law. Senator Hill says while Australia will continue to push for the creation of a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary, the country will not be following America's lead. ""Our response has been political and diplomatic, we haven't engaged in the threat of sanctions because we've never thought that that would effectively achieve our goal,"" Senator Hill said. ""We seek to look for the ways in which we can contribute to a change of attitude in Japan."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Just a day after a federal prosecutor announced the end of a long investigation into President Bill Clinton's business dealings, the United States leader is facing a new legal problem. Former White House volunteer Kathleen Wiley Schwicker has announced this morning she is suing Mr Clinton, saying she was the subject of a White House smear campaign. She claims she was harassed after going public with allegations at the height of the Monica Lewinsky scandal that the President had groped her and made sexual advances at the White House. Also named in the suit, being backed by a conservative legal group, are first lady Hillary Clinton and senior White House aides. The move comes a day after special counsel, Robert Ray, announced he was wrapping up the Whitewater investigation into the Clintons' business affairs in Arkansas, saying there was insufficient evidence to press charges against them."

" There are reports this morning French triple Olympian Marie-Jose Perec has left Sydney, throwing into doubt her Olympic Games berth on Friday evening. The 1996 Atlanta 400 metre gold medallist is Cathy Freeman's main rival for the event and since arriving in Australia Perec has steadfastly avoided all media. Agence France Press quotes her agent saying Perec left Sydney on Wednesday after being threatened at her hotel room. The first round of the 400 metre race starts Friday evening. In a shock result last night, American swimmer Misty Hyman has beaten Australian Susie O'Neill in the 200 metres butterfly final. Hyman beat 1996 champion O'Neill in a major upset, while Australian Petria Thomas finished third. O'Neill had not been beaten in the event since taking bronze behind two Chinese swimmers at the 1994 World Championships. O'Neill and Thomas backed up soon after to swim for Australia in the women's 4x200 metres freestyle relay, with O'Neill leading off. The heavily-favoured United States team took out the race, fractionally edging the Australian combination with Germany third. There was further disappointment for Australia in the final of the men's 100 metres freestyle, with Michael Klim finishing out of the medals. World record holder, Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband, won the gold in 48.03 seconds, outside the mark he set earlier in the meet. Australia's track cyclists finish their Olympic campaign tonight as several team's face crucial matches today. Eighteen gold medals will be awarded on day six. Australian cycling coach Charlie Walsh has selected veteran Gary Niewand to ride in the kierin ahead of Darryn Hill and Sean Eadie. The kierin along with the madison make their Olympic debut. Scott McCoy and Brett Aitken will pair up for the madison. In team sports. the Australian men's basketball side has a must win game against Russia. The Boomers played them five times in the lead-up to the Games without success. Important matches also face the men's hockey team who play Spain and in softball, Australia take on the USA. In the pool, Dutch world record holder Inge de Bruijn is favourite for the 100 metres freestyle while Australia's main hope in the pool will be Matt Welsh in the 200 metres backstroke. He faces a tough task with a field that includes the United States world record holder Lenny Krazelburg. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The long-running investigation into the Whitewater affair, involving the financial dealings of United States President Bill Clinton and wife Hillary, has ended without any charges being laid against the couple. Independent counsel Robert Ray released a six page statement announcing the end of the probe after six years and nearly a $100 million. Mr Ray, who took over the investigation from Ken Starr last year, concluded there was insufficient evidence to warrant any charges against the first couple over their business affairs in Arkansas. Some 14 other people have been convicted as a result of the investigation. Meanwhile, the special counsel has still to decide whether to charge President Clinton with perjury over court testimony about his relastionship with Monica Lewinsky. That decision is expected after Mr Clinton leaves office. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Telstra workers are considering industrial action over the corporation's plan to record staff telephone conversations with customers. Telstra wants to extend the recording of customer inquiries to all its call centres. Presently, Telstra is trialling the recording of some telephone inquiries to one of its Victorian call centres and says taped conversations assist training. The Community and Public Sector Union strongly opposes the move and communications spokesman Adrian O'Connell says recording conversations breaches the privacy of both customers and staff. And he says unless Telstra is prepared to deal with the union's concerns, strikes will be considered. ""If we have to take industrial action, we will,"" he said. ""It's a last resort but we want to use whatever other means are available to us to try and resolve this issue before we get into industrial action."" ------------------------------------------------------------------------"

" South Australian police now say the deaths of three people, two small children and a 21-year-old woman at Port Lincoln, are being treated as a triple homicide. The deaths were discovered today after housing trust officers found evidence of a break-in in the Pearson Street home. They had gone to the property to check on the welfare of the occupants. Police are appealing for anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in Pearson Street since the weekend to contact them. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Sydney 17-year-old Ian Thorpe may have the opportunity to swim for his fourth Olympic gold medal. Thorpe says he has been placed on standby to swim in the 4x100 metres medley relay. The heats of the race will be held on Friday, with the final the following day. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Telstra has confirmed at least 4,000 jobs will be axed over the next three years, under plans to move its metropolitan call centres to country areas. Workers will be offered positions in rural areas and others will have the opportunity to take a voluntary redundancy package. Telstra says the downsizing of its call centre operations will improve efficiency. Spokeswoman Jane Sullivan says customers will see the benefits. ""The public want good service from Telstra, they want to ring Telstra, they want to be dealt with properly,"" she said. ""They want to get straight to the issue, they don't want to ring and hang on for 15 minutes and to be put to another operator and another operator, so it's all about customer service and that's what we're trying to improve here."" Meanwhile, the Communications, Electricity and Plumbing Union (CEPU) says Telstra plans to shed thousands of jobs after the Olympic Games. The CEPU's New South Wales secretary Jim Metcher says Telstra workers have told the union of rumours that the corporation plans to shed up to 10,000 jobs as a result of the Government's partial sell-off. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" A small plane from Cuba has crashed in the Gulf of Mexico, killing one person. Originally, the aircraft was thought to have been hijacked, but authorities now believe the passengers might have been defecting when the plane ran out of fuel. The United States Coastguard said that a passing merchant ship, The Chios Dream, picked up nine injured survivors and one body from the water, 300 kilometres south-west of Key West, Florida. According to the Coastguard, all of the people on board the plane have been accounted for, which means it was carrying 10, not 18 people as first reported. There were four men, three women and three children. One of the injured is said to be in a serious condition, the other survivors are reportedly okay. A helicopter has been dispatched to airlift them to hospital. The Coastguard does not yet know who died in the crash. It is not yet certain whether this really was a hijack or an attempt to defect. ----------------------------------------------------------------"

" After three days of competition, the United States has begun to take charge of the medal table. Another two gold to the USA in the pool last night lifted its tally to six gold, five silver and two bronze. France, with four gold and a total of 12 medals, and China, with four gold and 10 medals, have both slipped past Australia. Australia has three gold, five silver and five bronze. One of those bronze came when Australian Maria Pekli took third in the 57-kilogram judo competition. It is the first medal for Australia in the sport since 1964. The Australian women's basketball and softball teams both recorded their second wins from as many matches overnight. In basketball, the Opals defeated Brazil 81-70 while the softball team recorded a convincing 7-0 win over Italy. The Australian women's volleyball team lost to Brazil 3-0. Meanwhile, Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband has predicted he can go faster after winning the 200 metres freestyle final in world record time last night. Australia's Ian Thorpe had to settle for the silver medal. Thorpe was a clear favourite to win the race two days ago but when van den Hoogenband came out and broke Thorpe's world record in the semis, a serious challenger had arrived. The Dutchman says he blocked Thorpe out of his race plan for the final. ""I was not really looking at him and thinking about him,"" he said. ""I wanted to swim my own race."" It was another good night for the United States, with Lenny Krayzelburg winning the 100 backstroke from Australia's Matt Welsh. The US's Megan Quann took the 100 breast stroke, with 15-year-old Australian Liesel Jones second. Romanian Diana Mocanu won the women's 100 backstroke. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The spectre of inflation has loomed larger overnight, with a further rise in world oil prices and another slide by the Australian dollar. Another night, another record low for the friendless Australian dollar, which is still hostage to the slumping euro. The local currency has been trading as low as 54.08 US cents. Last Friday, Prime Minister John Howard acknowledged the weak dollar posed a threat to inflation and interest rates. Head of foreign exchange and commodities at Tricom Futures, Jonathan Barrett, says its decline remains a puzzle. ""Recent data has proved that the economy is solid and that essentially the currency should be appreciating,"" he said. Meanwhile, oil prices have shot up to post-Gulf War highs. ""Crude oil for delivery in October rose above the $37 a barrel,"" Mr Barrett added. With Iraq claiming Kuwait has been stealing its oil, markets are worried about disruptions to supply against a backdrop of high demand. ----------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Red Cross is establishing contingency plans in case Australia's health ministers accept advice to ban up to 30,000 people from donating blood. The group includes people living in Britain for more than six months in the 80s and early 90s. New Scottish research published in the medical journal The Lancet indicates a form of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease can be transmitted by blood. Australian Red Cross director of blood products Dr Brendan Wylie says a ban would be in the national interest, but at a cost. ""We'd lose about 5 per cent of our current donations and about 25 to 30,000 blood donations,"" Dr Wylie said. ""It would be a decision made of extreme caution, enabling Australia to maintain the safest blood supply in the world."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Philippine military has begun its fourth day pursuit of Abu Sayyaf kidnappers, apparently no closer to finding 19 local and foreign hostages held captive by the rebels. Military sources have said that up to eight of the Islamic guerillas have been killed, while the Philippines' Defence Minister has admitted that four civilians have also died. Reports filtering out of Jolo island, the scene of the fighting, say many civilians fleeing the violence are unable to get food or medical aid because of a military cordon. In nearby Zamboanga, Dr Nelsa Amin is preparing to treat more casualties. ""I am expecting that there will be more casualites,"" Dr Amin said. ""I hope there will be a ceasefire in order that we can penetrate those areas where there are some patients who cannot go to the hospital."""

" Government soldiers in the Philippines are today set to spend a third day searching for Islamic rebels and their hostages, who have vanished into remote jungles on the southern island of Jolo. None of the captives, an American, two Frenchmen, three Malaysians and 13 Filipinos, have been seen since the military launched its assault on Saturday. The Philippines Government says it is certain that none of the hostages have been harmed and President Joseph Estrada says their safety is a top priority. President Estrada has ordered troops to crush the rebels and to rescue the hostages. Government soldiers on the weekend killed six gunmen from the Abu Sayyaf group and captured 20 others during the operation. However, the rebels have withdrawn into the jungle and no hostages have yet been rescued despite two days of military action. The Philippines' Armed Forces Chief of Staff, General Angelo Reyes, said none of the hostages were injured during the operation. ""All of the hostages from all reports, are alive. There have been no reports from within to indicate that any of them have been casualties,"" he said. French President Jacques Chirac has expressed his concern for the two French hostages, saying their safety remains an absolute priority. The French Foreign Ministry says it is in constant contact with Philippine authorities. It says it has been advised that the two French hostages are no longer in the camp that the Army raided. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia has joined an international anti-smoking campaign aimed at teenage girls. It is based on an American program promoted through soccer. The US campaign has been running for about six years and has seen a drop in the smoking take-up rate among younger teenage girls, one of the few groups in which smoking is actually rising. The Matildas women's soccer side is behind the new campaign. Player Amy Taylor says peer group pressure encourages girls into smoking. ""I'm lucky, I had bigger things to hope for and to dream for, and to achieve things like that, smoking doesn't help,"" she said. The Federal Health Minister, Dr Michael Wooldridge, says in sports mad Australia, the campaign is well suited. ""Having people like Amy willing to be a role model, then we'll have some success in what's been a very difficult bunch of people,"" he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister has backed the Reserve Bank's view that the Australian dollar is undervalued. Many analysts see the dollar's true value as around 60 US cents, given the strength of the domestic economy. But the currency remains near record low levels, trading today just above its all-time low of 54.83 US cents yesterday. Macquarie currency strategist, Jo Masters, says trading has been very light. ""Partly this is a reflection of a public holiday in Japan,"" Ms Masters said. ""But also domestic punters have got their eye both on the Olympic torch relay and awaiting the opening ceremony tonight, and that's taking some of the interest out of financial markets."" ------------------------------"

" The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is warning businesses who fail to include the GST in advertised prices could find themselves in court. Not including the tax in an advertised price carries a penalty of up to $200,000 for businesses and $40,000 for individuals. But, despite the hefty fines, the ACCC is receiving a significant number of complaints relating to the breach. The consumer watchdog notes a number of examples where businesses have failed to advertise a GST inclusive rate, most notably on restaurant and cafe menus. ACCC chairman Professor Allan Fels says an American system, where the price on the bill differs to that advertised, should be avoided as it can mislead customers. Meanwhile, free information courses will be offered from next month to help small businesses complete their quarterly GST statements. By November, business activity statements must be lodged by all businesses who are registered for the GST. The pratical courses will be held in 90 locations nationwide. -------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, says the continuing fall in the value of the Australian dollar is surprising, but not a disaster. He says the dollar price does not reflect the fundamentals of the Australian economy, but is a result of the strength of the US currency. Mr Howard says that is proven by the fact the Australian dollar has not fallen against either the pound sterling or the euro and that all other major currencies are also low against the US dollar. He has told Melbourne's Southern Cross radio a low dollar is not all bad news. ""Exporters don't mind a weaker dollar...if it's sustained over a long period of time then it can flow through into import prices and into higher inflation,"" he said. ""It is having a bad effect on the price of petrol because world oil prices are in American dollars and when you see $US32 a barrel that's a lot more Australian a barrel."" At 9.00pm AEDT, the dollar was being quoted at 54.95 US cents. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" As petrol blockades in Britain begin to fade, much of Europe remains paralysed by protesting truck drivers angry at the rising cost of fuel. Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany have been hardest hit, but blockades now seem likely to appear in the Czech Republic, Ireland, Italy, Spain, Poland, Norway and Sweden. In Britain, most blockades are down and the tankers are running again, although shortages and disruptions are expected to last for days. In Belgian cities such as Brussels, roads were blocked for the fifth consecutive day, although a resolution is now in sight. There have been demonstrations in Germany and more are planned in at least six other European countries. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" International investors are continuing to desert the Australian currency market. That has pushed the Australian dollar to another new record low. The dollar was down to 54.9 US today, and dealers are reluctant to pick its low-point, even short-term. Around 5.00pm AEDT, the dollar had slipped even further to a new all-time low of around 54.85 US cents. In the past month, the currency has lost 7 per cent against the greenback, and 4 per cent against the yen. The Federal Opposition leader, Kim Beazley has again laid partial blame with Australia's ""old economy"" image, saying the Government has failed to encourage high-tech development. A key proponent of this view, Zurich Group economist David Hale points to Finland, another small country that has produced Nokia, a listed giant with a market worth three times the country's GDP. ---------------------------------"

" Four time Olympic Gold medallist Dawn Fraser says for the good of her own health she is trying to keep her excitement and emotions in check. Tonight Ms Fraser is running a leg of the Torch Relay through central Sydney, before meeting one of her sporting idols, Muhammad Ali. Tomorrow she will accompany International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch to the Opening Ceremony, march with the Australian team and possibly light the Olympic cauldron. Ms Fraser's last Olympic campaign, as a team liaison officer, was interrupted by a spell in an Atlanta Hospital following an angina attack . ""My resting heart-rate is normally about 32. ""It's about 160 at the moment, but it is pumping. ""The excitement has certainly hit me, I've tried to keep it on a nice even level because I had that angina attack in Atlanta. ""The last four years I've tried to keep myself on a nice even keel,"" she said. -----------------------------------"

" New South Wales One Nation MP David Oldfield has been suspended from the party's national executive. The move to suspend him was made by party leader Pauline Hanson, after he and former One Nation adviser David Ettridge registered two new political parties. The motion to suspend Mr Oldfield was carried three in favor, with one abstaining. Mr Oldfield registered his vote against the motion by walking out. Miss Hanson says Mr Oldfield has not been thrown out of the party, only suspended with no set-time period. ""I am sorry that it has actually come to this,"" Miss Hanson said. ""But David's actions have been unacceptable, not only to myself and the national executive, but to the majority of members and every state president throughout the country has given me their full support."" -----------------------------------"

" A Supreme Court Judge in Perth has reserved his decision on whether art critic Robert Hughes should be ordered to stand trial again on dangerous driving charges. Western Australian prosecutors today appealed against a decision by a Broome Magistrate earlier this year to dismiss two charges against Mr Hughes. The charges arose from a near-fatal crash south of Broome last year in which Mr Hughes was critically injured and two people travelling in another car were seriously hurt. It has been alleged Mr Hughes had been driving on the wrong side of the road, but the magistrate ruled that there was not enough evidence to prove the prosecution case. Justice Jeffrey Miller says he hopes to hand down his decision within the next fortnight."

" One of Australia's boxing competitors at the Sydney Olympics has failed to make the weight and will not compete at the Games. Bradley Hore from New South Wales was to have fought in the 48 kilo division but was ruled out after this morning's official weigh-in. One other overseas athlete was also ruled out for coming in under his weight division. Hore will remain with the Australian team during the Games. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Malaysia's national airline is continuing talks with Qantas about the sale of a stake to the Australian airline. Malaysia's Transport Minister has quashed reports of an impasse in the negotiations, saying the talks are ongoing. In July, Qantas was set to buy a 20 per cent stake in Malaysia Airlines, but that deal fell through for undisclosed reasons. Malaysia Airlines reported a net loss in the year to March of more than $100 million. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The British Army has been put on standby as the country's petrol crisis deepens. Prime Minister Tony Blair is threatening to use troops to break the blockade of petrol refineries by truck drivers across the country. Army petrol tankers are being moved around Britain so they are in a position to provide fuel from Ministry of Defence stocks if the British Government decides it is necessary. The Army has its own fuel distribution system with considerable fuel stocks stored around the country. A Ministry of Defence spokeswoman described the move as a ""precautionary measure"". Mr Blair has expressed his determination to break blockades around oil refineries by truckers and farmers who are campaigning for a big cut in fuel taxes. Protests are also continuing across Europe, with many parts of the continent suffering from protests at high fuel prices. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" More than 600 people are expected to be interviewed as part of an RAAF inquiry into health problems experienced by air force personnel who worked on resealing the fuel tanks of F1-11 aircraft. The inquiry covers workers required to climb inside the fuel tanks to carry out re-sealing work over a period of more than 25 years. Many of those workers have reported health problems ranging from cancer to recurring headaches and gastro-intestinal problems. Senior Counsel assisting the inquiry, Mike Burnett, says the inquiry will not deal with the issue of compensation, but their work may ultimately help people with their claims. He says the inquiry will hold public hearings early next year, but it is already making a difference with procedures. ""The events have had an immediate effect in that the air force has reviewed the respray program and as we talk now a new respray program is about to commence,"" he said. ""It's expected that the new processes will ensure that the crews that are employed to go into the fuel tank will be able to do so in a state of absolute safety."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian economy has continued its strong growth. The Australian dollar fell to a new low after today's figures were released, but recovered to 55.45 US cents a short time ago. The economy expanded by 0.7 per cent in the June quarter and 4.7 per cent for the year. The Treasurer, Peter Costello, points out it is the 13th consecutive quarter that growth has stayed above four per cent. ""We have the prospects to reduce unemployment further, the task for the Australian economy is to continue the strong non-inflationary growth,"" Mr Costello said. But the Opposition Treasury Spokesman, Simon Crean, says the growth is being driven by consumption, not investment. ""The Government has failed to use the opportunities of strong growth to reinvest in the nation's future,"" Mr Crean said. The solid growth was well below finance market expectations which drove the dollar to a record low at 55.25 US cents. The Chamber of Commerce and Industry says the growth figure should warn the Reserve Bank to leave interest rates on hold. The chamber says trying to cool an already slowing economy may be the worst possible policy approach. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Indonesia has promised to send food to tens of thousands of refugees in West Timor who are without international aid. A senior government minister says rice and other food supplies will be sent to the Indonesian-controlled province to feed both refugees from East Timor and local people. The departure of foreign aid agencies, following the death of three United Nations staff last week, has raised fears of food shortages among the refugees. Meanwhile, the Indonesian Red Cross says its staff in West Timor are too afraid to distribute food to refugees because the militias are threatening local aid workers. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australian actress Rachel Ward has carried the Olympic flame through West Pymble in Sydney's north. The torch is making its way to Macquarie Park at Macquarie University where it will be welcomed by thousands of people. Earlier David Campese carried the flame and said not even Australia's rugby World Cup win could match the moment. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Police have successfully bypassed protesters to move busloads of delegates into the Melbourne venue for the World Economic Forum. Hundreds of police pushed aside about 40 protesters near the Clarendon Street entrance to Crown Casino, the forum venue. Most of the anti-globalisation protesters were blockading an access point on the other side of the complex, which police had used yesterday to move delegates in and out of the forum. One of the protesters, Nick, says he and his colleagues were hopelessly outnumbered by police involved in this morning's baton charge. ""I saw a woman about 40 that went down and people were just screaming to let her out, let her up... just general people getting hurt, a lot of screaming, a lot of young people going down,"" he said. However, Police Minister Andre Haermeyer says police have shown great restraint after being pelted with marbles, ball bearings, urine-filled containers and other missiles. He rejects claims that police have used pressure point or strongarm tactics. ""When you have a situation where police have got to clear access to enable people to get in and out of the building to stop them being falsely imprisoned, then sometimes those sorts of situations will occur where police will have to behave in a way that is a little bit forceful,"" he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The CSIRO says it believes that increasing the amount of protein in food could help people with a weight problem. Nutrition scientist Peter Clifton has told a conference in Adelaide that the number of obese in Australia has doubled in the last 10 years, with more young people experiencing weight problems. Dr Clifton says the only diet which has been positively shown to enhance weight loss is a high-protein diet, which is difficult to maintain. He says if the food industry reduced the energy-density of processed food, it would help people lose weight. ""I also suggested adding more protein because a high protein level tends to make you feel fuller, so you stop eating sooner, and don't need to eat for longer, and the amount of energy needed to metabolise the protein is higher so you have to use up more energy to deal with that meal,"" he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia will today host its first Olympic sporting event in 44 years, with play to start in Canberra and Melbourne in men's and women's soccer. After a $20 million upgrade and a rushed re-laying of the troubled turf, a sell-out crowd of 23,000 people will watch this evening's football matches at Canberra's Bruce Stadium. The Australian women's team, the Matildas, will launch the nation's Olympic campaign in its match against Germany. A locally-designed opening ceremony, featuring 1,500 school students, will follow before the men's match between the United States and the Czech Republic. The MCG is sold out for opening night, with the Olyroos and Italy launching the men's competition, after the women of Brazil and Sweden have kicked the dew off the turf, which was laid just nine days ago. Melbourne's spring rains are tipped to dry up today, providing the perfect setting for an Olympic return to the stadium that remains synonymous with the ""friendly Games"". Soccer matches also begin tonight in Brisbane and Adelaide. In Adelaide, defending Olympic champions, Nigeria, take on Honduras. Nigeria became the first African team to win a major football tournament, when it beat Argentina for gold in Atlanta, while Honduras has qualified for the Olympics for the first time. In Brisbane, Cameroon play Kuwait. Cameroon is regarded as a medal contender after defeating Nigeria to be named best African team this year."

" The Australian Democrats say comments by the Federal Employment Services Minister, Tony Abbott, have sent a terrible message to gay and lesbian people. Mr Abbott says church-run employment agencies who are members of the Government's Job Network should be allowed to not employ gay and lesbian staff. Mr Abbott was commenting on guidelines issued by the Human Rights Commission to ensure church organisations do not discriminate against non-religious people who apply for jobs. Democrat Senator Andrew Bartlett says Mr Abbott is giving the agencies a green-light to discriminate against gays and lesbians. ""If they're wanting to employ a priest or a spiritual counsellor in relation to religious instruction then that's fine,"" Senator Bartlett said. ""If it's a job that's being funded by the taxpayer to provide employment services to all Australians then they should be subject to the same rules as any other employer or agency,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" An Aboriginal woman who lost a test case over her care in two children's homes in the 1940s and 50s has lost an appeal on the decision. Joy Williams also failed to have the court agree she was a member of the Stolen Generations. Mrs Williams says she suffered a disturbed and unhappy childhood and later psychiatric illness, as a result of her time in two children's homes. In the original matter, New South Wales Supreme Court Justice Alan Abadee found Mrs Williams' mother had willingly surrendered her newborn child to the Aboriginal Welfare Board to give her a better chance. He also dismissed claims the state was negligent and responsible for her border-line personality disorder. The Court of Appeal in New South Wales this morning dismissed an appeal to that judgment. Justice John Heydon says while the matter is a very sad and very hard case, he found no reason to overturn the original decision. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, says the Government is committed to its economic fiscal policy despite the Australian dollar's slide to near-record lows. Mr Costello has declined to comment specifically on the dollar's weakness, only to say the Government is watching it very carefully. The dollar is trading at about 55.7 US cents. Mr Costello says there are external factors beyond the Government's control. ""There are international factors that are influencing the Australian currency,"" he said. ""In particular, you have seen huge volitility on the US exchange rate and the euro. ""There are some trade imbalances between some of the major players in the world economy. ""That is affecting some of the other currencies in the region."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Queensland-based City-Country Alliance says it has preselected its first two candidates to contest seats in federal Parliament. Small businessman, Audi Geisler, from Ayr, will stand for the north Queensland seat of Dawson, and Bowen businessman, Laurie O'Regan, will stand for the Senate. The City-Country Alliance was formed after the internal collapse of the One Nation party. Sitting Queensland Parliamentarian, Jeff Knuth, says the party is in the process of preselection in Queensland, and hopes to field candidates in other states. ""At this stage we'll possibly stand for around about 10 to 15 [seats],"" he said. ""We're not just going unfettered. ""We're not going to run against politicians we believe that are doing the right job, and some politicians are doing a good job, we're looking at politicians individually."" The Alliance believes it can win two or three Federal seats. Mr Knuth says the preselection process is underway in Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria. ""There are 12 Senators in Queensland that are up for, I think, there will be six, in the next election,"" he said. ""We will possibly stand, you know, for all of them, try and run all of them, of course, but if we can [win] just one or two we will be happy."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister has talked up the Australian economy during a speech to international delegates at the World Economic Forum in Melbourne. He has told the audience the nation's economy is performing better than it has at any time for more than 30 years. Mr Howard has also described as a myth the belief that the poor would be better off if globalisation were brought to an end. And he said those protesting against the forum should realise the benefits of globalisation. ""The great irony of the fact that a gathering such as this should be the target of demonstration from people who believe it is attacking the living standards and the aspirations of the poor, is that indeed the reverse is the case,"" he said."

" World oil prices remain stubbornly high. Traders look to be putting little faith in the latest OPEC production increases. On the New York Mercantile Exchange there has been frenzied buying that has seen key contracts for West Texas crude approaching $US36 a barrel. Just before 8:00am AEDT, the benchmark price had settled back but was still over $35 a barrel. After OPEC ministers agreed at the weekend to raise production by 800,000 barrels per day there was some hope petrol prices might eventually start to ease at the pump. However, Treasurer Peter Costello said yesterday it was too early to tell what the impact would be, and overnight trade would indicate the markets remain worried about a cold northern winter and depleted stocks of crude in the United States. Continuing high prices will put pressure on inflation and could ultimately curb economic activity."

" The Australian men's basketball team has had a solid final hit-out before the Olympics, scoring an eight-point win over Lithuania in Wollongong last night. Australia won 88-80, after trailing by two points at half time. In last night's women's match, France defeated Canada by 22 points. Tonight, the Australian women's team plays its final match before the Games, also in Wollongong."

" The first clashes have occurred between police and protesters at the World Economic Forum in Melbourne. Bus loads of security guards and delegates have been turned away by protesters at the Crown Casino complex. The clashes occurred when protesters blocked vehicles from entering. Several protesters suffered minor injuries as mounted police forced the protesters back. One protester blamed police for starting the clashes. ""Well, we were guarding the exit and then we looked behind us and there was a row of dozens and dozens of police walking toward us, so we turned around and linked arms,"" she said. Reinforcements have now arrived at the entrance to tighten security. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A Defence Force board of inquiry begins its investigation in Darwin today into the death of a soldier in East Timor last month. Corporal Stuart MacMillan Jones was based with Two Cavalry Regiment in Darwin. Corporal Jones was serving in East Timor with the Australian contingent of the United Nations' peacekeeping force. He died after being shot by a rifle which accidentally discharged. The four-member board of inquiry will be led by Colonel Wayne Bowen, head of the Army Promotion Training Centre in Queensland. The Commander of the Australian Theatre, Air Vice-Marshall Bob Treloar, says he is confident the board will thoroughly investigate the circumstances to establish the cause of the discharge so the force can ""move swiftly"" to guard against any recurrence. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The longest Olympic torch relay in history makes its arrival in Sydney this afternoon. The torch is travelling north through the Illawarra, on the NSW south coast this morning. A crowd of 50,000 is expected to line the streets of Wollongong to welcome the torch, and Wollongong Council workers have been given an hour-and-a-half off to take in the spectacle. The torch finally enters the Sydney's city limits at Waterfall in southern Sydney about 3:30pm AEDT, after passing through Penrith a week ago. Blind athlete John Ansell carries the torch, while former rugby league player Adam Ritson, former Olympian Michelle Ford and local hero Andrew Ettingshausen also take their turn as the torch passes through Sutherland and Wooloware. Long distance swimmer Susie Maroney then lights the cauldron at Tonkin Park in Cronulla to kick off the first evening celebration in the Olympic city. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates says all the relevant groups were informed for some time over the possible banning of two sporting officials from entering the country. International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch is seeking an explanation from Prime Minister John Howard, after Uzbekistan's Gafur Rakhimov and an un-named Hong Kong official were denied visas. Mr Coates says SOCOG Chief Executive Sandy Hollway had been keeping people up-to-date and he feels the matter will end quickly once Mr Howard gives the full details to the IOC President. The Government has cited security reasons for the ban and Mr Coates says the IOC is only ensuring there are no other reasons behind the move. ""They're entitled just to ensure that the Games are not used for political purposes by any host government,"" he said. ""The are doing the right thing by checking that the reasons are valid."" The Prime Minister says a decision to ban two Olympic officials from entering Australia has his full support. Mr Howard says the Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock has explained the reasons why the bans were imposed and that is the end of the matter. ""The minister has done precisely the right thing,"" he said. ""As he said the paramount consideration is the safety and the security of the Australian community. ""Mr Ruddock has done exactly the right thing and is quite consistent with the letter of the understanding concluded when Sydney won the bid a few years ago."""

" The French President Jaques Chirac has asked International Olympics Committee chief Juan Antonio Samaranch to ensure that French is spoken at the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympics. The French are hopping mad. They had thought that for the first time in years French would reclaim its equal status with English as the official Olympic language. Francophones within the IOC have been working hard with SOCOG to ensure that French is prominently displayed on all official Olympic signs and brochures. After the linguistic disappointment of Lillehammer, Nagano and Atlanta where only English and the local language was used, Sydney was to be a return to tradition. But reports that the Governor-General plans to speak only English at the opening ceremony has changed all that. The French Foreign Ministry says the independence of the Games would be threatened if English was the only language used and President Chirac has now asked Mr Samaranch to try to convince Sir William Deane to speak French as planned. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The United Nations says there are reports that militia have killed another 20 people in West Timor. The southern town of Bitauni appears to be the most recent target of militia violence. Aid groups in West Timor say militia have gone on a rampage in the south-east town of Bitauni. The town is the base of the militia group responsible for an earlier attack on a UN office in which three foreign aid workers were killed. The UN's Bernard Kerblat says there is several reports of people escaping the violence and as yet an unconfirmed report that 20 are dead. He says even Indonesia's military is describing Bitauni as insecure, which by its standards means the area is out of control. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The president of the International Olympic Committee has written to the Prime Minister asking why two Olympic officials have been denied entry to Australia. A senior member of the World Boxing Federation, Gafur Rachimov, from Uzbekistan, and another member of a national Olympic Committee have been stopped from entering Australia. The IOC says under Olympic rules, agreed to by a host city, Olympic accreditation serves as a visa to enter the host nation. The IOC will not confirm the identity of the two officials, but the IOC director-general, Francois Carrard, wants to know why the host city contract has not been honoured. ""We have asked for explanations as to the reasons to which the Australian Government has decided not to honour this commitment, we are working for explanations,"" he said. Mr Carrad says at the Atlanta Games some officials were initially denied entry to the United States but were later admitted. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The turmoil continues on global foreign exchange markets and the Australian dollar has equalled its all-time low against the American Greenback. Twice during the night the local currency got down to around 55.30 US cents. That is the level it slumped to two years ago at the height of the Asian financial crisis. Dealers say there have been reports of the Reserve Bank intervening in the market, firstly as the dollar slipped below 56 cents and then on its lows. Once more the Australian currency appears to have been a sideline casualty of the sliding euro. Dealers are now looking to a meeting this weekend of European finance ministers to pull a rabbit out of a hat. At about 8:30am AEDT, the dollar was at 55.90 US cents, down half a cent from yesterday's close but six-tenths of a cent above the night's low. On the cross-rates this morning, the dollar was at 0.6406 euros, 58.73 Japanese yen, 38.87 pence sterling and $NZ1.337. --------------------------------"

" Another Olympic athlete has tested positive for drugs. Czech weightlifter Zbynek Vacura was on his way to Sydney when told he tested positive for steroids. Earlier this week, a Canadian hammerthrower also returned a positve sample for steroids and a Canadian equestrian competitior was found with cocaine in his system. Twenty-seven Chinese athletes have been withdrawn after tests showed abnormal levels of the endurance-boosting drug EPO. The string of results has not surprised Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates. He has praised Customs for another incident in which it discovered two vials, one marked human growth hormone. The vials were found in the possession of a coach with the Uzbekistan team. ""If it is what is reported then that's wonderful, it means our Customs are doing their job and our Federal Government is to be congratulated,"" Mr Coates said. Customs hopes to confirm what was in the vials later today. If the official is charged, the International Olympic Committee will exclude him from involvement in the Games. --------------------------------"

" A member of the Nigerian athletics team was killed in a road accident in Sydney last night. Nigerian officials have confirmed Olympic 400-metres runner Hyginus Anugo died in a crash. Police say the 22-year-old man was hit by a car in Hector Street at Sefton in the city's south-west around 9:00pm AEDT last night. The president of the Nigerian athletics association says Anugo was due to run in the 400-metres and was also a reserve for the relay team. Police spokesman Peter Rogers says it is believed Anugo was struck by the car while trying to cross the road. ""The 22-year-old man was believed to be crossing the road when he was struck by a north-bound Holden Torana near the intersection of Waldren Road,"" he said. The Nigerian Athletics Federation has expressed its deep regret after being informed of the accident by team's secretary in Sydney. --------------------------------"

" Colombian police have announced the discovery of a half-built submarine apparently commissioned by drug traffickers seeking new ways of getting cocaine to countries overseas. The submarine was under construction at a factory in the capital, Bogota, about 400 kilometres from the coast. Plans found with it show the submarine would have been 30 metres long when finished, and capable of carrying up to 200 tonnes of cocaine and a crew of 12. Leo Arreguin, who heads a branch of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration in Colombia, expressed astonishment at the discovery. In 32 years of police work, he said he had never seen anything like it. Colombian police have yet to make any arrests. --------------------------------"

" Ken Jackson employs eight drivers at his trucking company in High Wycombe and says he doubts whether the rally will have any impact on the Federal Government. ""Where's Howard? He's not even in the country to face these issues and I just think that's strange,"" Mr Jackson said. ""We're struggling now as it is, that's why I'm just disillusioned, I've come hear to listen to what they've got to say and take it from there,"" he said."

" The Opposition leader, Geoff Gallop, read the crowd a message from the Federal Labor leader Kim Beazley. ""Everybody in Australia now knows the GST has increased the price of petrol,"" Mr Gallop said. ""The only two people that won't admit it are John Howard and Peter Costello. ""We are determined to make John Howard pay the price for breaking his promise and we support you in your attempts to highlight the unfair burden this Federal Government has imposed."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Australia's hopes of having a fit Michele Timms ready to lead the Opals basketball team at the Olympics have taken a blow. Timms says she is pessimistic about being able to play more than a peripheral role after undergoing knee surgery just eight weeks ago. Despite the absence of their skipper, the Opals beat France by 12 points last night in Adelaide, an important result given the French are in Australia's section of the Games draw. Tonight the Australians play Slovakia. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Preparations are underway in West Timor to evacuate a further 80 foreign aid workers after a fatal attack on a United Nations office yesterday. At least four people are now confirmed dead, three of them foreign aid workers, after a savage attack on the UN mission in the town of Atambua. Last night, more than 40 foreign aid workers were airlifted by UN peacekeepers to safety in East Timor. But there are fears a few staff may still be in hiding. Yesterday, a militia mob stoned the Atambua office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, then attacked workers and set the building alight. The bodies of three foreign aid workers were found in the burnt-out office. According to UN workers, another foreigner was dragged from a nearby hotel and burnt to death. Among the dead are believed to be United Nations workers from Croatia, South Africa and Fiji. This is the worst militia attack on foreign aid workers since the United Nations arrived last year to help repatriate tens of thousands of East Timorese refugees. -----------------------------------"

" The Olympic torch will leave the Australian Capital Territory this morning after passing through the hands of some 200 runners. The Govenor-General, Sir William Deane, will farewell the flame as it leaves Government House before 9:00am AEDT. It will then be run past numerous embassies, the old and new parliament houses and Lake Burley Griffin. Queanbeyan will welcome the flame before midday, before it continues on to Cooma and Thredbo. -----------------------------------"

" Just a few short years after watching on television as Pat Rafter performed his winning heroics at the US Open, Lleyton Hewitt will be taking the stage as a semi-finalist at the same venue. The 19-year-old booked in to the biggest Grand Slam date of his short, fast-rising career, destroying Frenchman Arnaud Clement, the man who knocked Andre Agassi out in the first-round, 6-2, 6-4, 6-3. Given his tender age, Hewitt's memories of Rafter's trophy runs in 1997 and 1998 are understandably hazy. ""I probably took more interest at that time because he was an Australian playing in the Open final,"" said Hewitt. ""It's tough to win two back-to-back matches in five-set tennis. ""I look up to Pat a lot, he's been a great champion and has done so much for Australian tennis. I think he's got a few great years left in him. ""He's definitely going to win a few more Grand Slams in my opinion. Obviously he's struggled this year."" Hewitt is the youngest man reach the New York semis since Pete Sampras a decade ago on the way to his first Grand Slam title. Hewitt will await the winner between Sampras and Richard Krajicek, the only active player with a positive record - six wins, three defeats - against the American. Hewitt has no complaints about his on-form game, which has improved with each match this summer on hard-court. ""Of course, I'm hitting the ball well. Apart from losing the first set of the tournament, I've won 15 sets on the trot now. Anyone through to the semis feels like they're giving themselves a chance."" Hewitt had a chance to take a break from sport on Tuesday night, when he met Australian Prime Minister John Howard at the Australian embassy. Mr Howard is in town for the UN Millennium summit this week. ""It was fantastic to know that his support is fully behind you, that you've got the nation in your corner as well,"" Hewitt said. -----------------------------------"

" Inquiries continue into a police shooting in Sydney last night that left one man dead. Police fired a single shot at the driver of a car in King Street in the city. He was killed instantly. Police say they had followed the vehicle from Glebe where a check on it had found it to be stolen. The officers claim to have been advised that the occupants might have been armed. The dead man's identity has not been revealed. The passenger in the car is now under arrest and is assisting police with their inquiries. An independent inquiry has been set up and a brief is being prepared for the coroner. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Negotiations on Bougainville's political future continue later this morning in the northern Papua New Guinea town of Rabal. There is some hope an agreement can be reached on autonomy for Bougainville before the end of the week. Today is the third day of this critical round of negotiations between the Bougainville leaders and the Papue New Guinea Government. The Bougainville leadership arrived here on Monday full of frustration and anger at the government's slow progress. Some had been talking of a potential breakdown in negotiations. But the mood has improved, Bougainville Affairs Minister Sir Michael Somare has decided to stay on, cancelling a trip to Australia for the funeral of a former colonial administrator. His decision is being seen as a sign that some progress can be made and that an agreement could be reached by week's end. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition has reshuffled its front bench. Labor leader Kim Beazley has given Aboriginal Affairs to Bob McMullan - who is not aligned with a factional group. Labor's left, which has traditionally held the Aboriginal Affairs job, had been reluctant to take the portfolio this time. But Mr Beazley says five people wanted the job and Mr McMullan rejects the view that it is a poisoned chalice. ""I consider it an absolute honor and privilege to have the chance to deal with the greatest social justice issue of our generation, that's why I volunteered."" Carmen Lawrence has officially joined the front bench and will be Industry and Innovation spokeswoman. Mr Beazley expects the Government to attack her over the Marks Royal Commission, but says she will weather that and lead Labor's push for Australia to be a knowledge nation."

" The Federal Government has gone on the attack against the Opposition's new-look front bench. The Treasurer, Peter Costello, says business leaders will think it odd that Labor has left-wing members in charge of the Finance and Industry portfolios. ""This is our team, they say to the business community - two members of the Socialist Left and a trade union official. That'll be popular in the boardrooms. ""It'll be very popular. It will be as popular in the boardrooms as the rollback policy,"" he said. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Lleyton Hewitt has achieved his best result at a Grand Slam tennis Tournament by advancing to the Quarter Finals of the US Open. Hewitt defeated Swede Thomas Enqvist in straight sets and becomes the youngest player to make the quarter finals of the US Open since 1993. Hewitt says the windy conditions on court were appalling. ""A nightmare out there, it was the toughest conditions I've every played in,"" he said. ""Sometimes you play your pennant competitions and stuff like that on a Saturday afternoon in winter and Adelaide or Melbourne or whatever, nothing compared to that was tonight."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Eight people are dead following a plane crash in Queensland's north-western Gulf Country. The plane apparently travelled 3,000 kilometres on autopilot across three states for several hours before crashing. Police from Burketown have just arrived at the scene of the crash. Spokesman Brian Swift says the site is very remote. ""There's quite a bit of scrub and a bit of bush and that sort of stuff,"" he said. ""It's a fair step from anywhere and it's taken police a long while to drive from Burketown and we were intending to chopper in some police from Normanton and Mount Isa. ""But we've had to ground the helicopter at Normanton due to heavy fog in the crash area. ""So once the fog does lift we'll probably be able to get that helicopter in and some of the experts to try and start working out what went wrong."" The Beechcraft King Air 200 twin engined plane was travelling from Perth to the mining town on Leonora in the Western Australian goldfields with seven mine workers on board. Western Australian police believe at this stage the plane has depressurised, rendering all those on board unconscious, leaving the aircraft to travel on auto-pilot. Contact was lost with the pilot in Western Australia at around 9:00pm AWST. The Australian Air Search and Rescue Authority tracked the plane across Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland. The Australian Maritime Safety Authority tracked the aircraft across three states. Spokeswoman Beverley Atkins says it was alerted when the plane failed to respond to radio contact. ""Search aircraft were diverted to intercept and establish what the nature of the problem was, but no further communication was received,"" she said. ""Two fixed wing aircraft from Alice Springs were tasked to intercept and continue the report on the status of the flight and they stayed with the aircraft throughout the night."" Two other planes shadowed the stricken craft for several hours, desperately trying to make contact with those on board before it finally crashed at Wernadinga Station, 48 kilometres south-east of Burketown in Queensland's Gulf Country at about 1:20am AEST. The mine workers are believed to be from Western Australia, Victoria and New Zealand. A local property owner was one of the first people to reach the crash scene and he remains in shock. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Despite claiming victory in the Lebanese election, former prime minister Rafik Hariri is still not certain of leading the next government. Lebanon's President remains a stumbling block for Mr Hariri's bid to lead the country. Mr Hariri and his allies swept the polls in Lebanon's second and final round of voting at the weekend. This puts the former prime minister in a good position to reclaim the job he lost to Mr Salim Al Hoss two years ago. The outgoing leader blamed political money and sectarianism for his defeat. Mr Hariri is best known for launching a multi-billionaire dollar reconstruction program in Beirut following Lebanon's 15 year civil war. His ascendancy, however, is not guaranteed. He is a political opponent of the nation's President Emile Lahoud, who will be involved in talks to form the next government. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A British Court is seeking expert opinion in the case of Siamese twin girls whose parents have opposed a court order to have them separated. Only one child will survive the operation, but both will die without it. The case of the unnamed eastern European migrants has attracted wide interest in Britain because of the deep moral, legal and ethical dilemma it poses. The parents of the Siamese twins oppose a court-ordered operation whereby one child dies to enable the other to survive, but the alternative, say doctors, is that both twins will die within months. The three law lords hearing the appeal have now ordered a second expert medical opinion on the girls' condition, with Lord Justice Ward in his opening remarks saying he has ""deep sympathy"" for the parents. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition is demanding to know how more than 132 computers have been lost or stolen from the Defence Department. Labor's Senate leader John Faulkner says more than $291,000 worth of laptops are missing. He says 33 contained departmental documents and in 12 cases, the information was classified or restricted. ""Does the Government have any explanation as to why 132 laptop computers worth over $291,000 have just walked out the door of the department charged with maintaining Australia's security,"" he said. ""Given the defence offices are supposedly secure installations, how is it possible that so much defence equipment gets stolen or misplaced?"" The Government leader in the Senate, Robert Hill, says the matter is of concern and is being investigated. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Nike Australia says it will look into claims that human rights abuses are continuing in its Asian factories. Community Aid Abroad today released a report claiming the Olympics sponsor is not living up to the Games ideals of peace and justice. It is claimed female workers at Nike factories in Indonesia are forced to undergo menstruation checks and that unionisation is actively discouraged. But Megan Ryan, from Nike Australia, says Community Aid Abroad is targeting the wrong company. ""The statements released today to us are concerning and we will be looking into those claims,"" she said. ""But Nike believes that we definitely uphold the Olympics ideal of human dignity. ""We believe it's quite clear that we are meeting our obligations to the over 500,000 people we employ indirectly through our manufacturing."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Western diplomats continue to be refused access to the home of Nobel peace prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi, raising fears that Burma's Opposition leader may once again be under house arrest. The military has confirmed it ended her nine-day roadside vigil by escorting her back to the capital. But diplomats including the British ambassador to Burma have been unable to directly confirm her situation. Burma's military regime claims the stand-off ended happily after they escorted the Opposition leader and members of her entourage back to their residences in the capital. Sources say at least 200 military personnel were involved in ending the stand-off with authorities who had prevented her leaving the capital. But diplomats have been refused access to her house, which is now sealed off. Diplomatic sources in Rangoon say they fear Aung San Suu Kyi has once more been placed under house arrest. She spent six years under house arrest in the 1990s. At least three other senior party members are also believed to have been placed under house arrest. -----------------------------------"

" Essendon will continue their premiership celebrations at Windy Hill today after claiming its 16th premiership. It will be a more subdued affair at the Demons' family day at Junction Oval, after Essendon took out yesterday's grand final 19.21 (135) to Melbourne's 11.9 (75). Melbourne put on a brave front at its grand final dinner last night, reflecting on what could have been: a premiership for the first time in 36 years. But coach Neale Daniher told his players to move on. ""We have to stay hungry, we have to go again and we have to win a premiership,"" he said. Daniher says he sees his young side as winners over the season, despite their 60-point loss to Essendon. ""We need to still plan medium to long-term,"" he said. ""We won't be going out and say we need to get one of those and sell our young kids. ""We are still going to look medium to long-term and try to build a really strong club so there won't be any sort of knee-jerk reaction."" At the Melbourne Tennis Centre, the Bombers were savouring the moment, especially Kevin Sheedy who has won his fourth flag as coach. ""A little suburb called Essendon started 103 years ago, has grown into one of the most powerful clubs in the AFL and picked up the first premiership in the year 2000, well done,"" he said. Sheedy says this year's Essendon team may be the best he has ever coached. ""I know that they've done very, very well in regard to their performances and getting the best out of themselves,"" he said. ""They've probably won the most games ever in a season of any AFL club and I'm prepared to lose one to get the premiership, don't worry about that."" Essendon captain James Hird says he always dreamed he would captain a premiership team but never imagined he would also win the Norm Smith medal. ""I always thought just in the back of my head and it was very far in the back of my head that this day would come, that I would captain a premiership team,"" he said. ""Along the way there were some hurdles to jump but with the people around me telling me it was going to happen I thought it might happen."" Demons captain David Neitz remained positive despite the grand final loss. Neitz told players they had done well to come from 14th last year to make the grand final. ""A lot of young players are hungry and after today's experience they are going to be hungrier,"" he said. ""We want to be around, we've had a taste of what its like to be around and we want to be around again."" -----------------------------------"

" Australian 15th seed Mark Philippoussis is out of the US Open tennis tournament, after a straight sets loss in his second round match against American Jan-Michael Gambrill. Gambill overpowered Philipoussis 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Jelena Dokic called for a trainer during her match after feeling dizzy in the humidity but went on to win in straight sets, 7-6, 7-5. Dokic could meet Serena Williams in the next round. Lleyton Hewitt beat Czech Jiri Novak in straight sets to get through to the fourth round in a grand slam for the first time. The Australain always looked in control, taking the match 6-3, 6-3, 6-3. Hewitt says he expects his game to continue to improve this week but believes he is playing better than ever. Russian Anna Kournikova is out after losing her match against Justine Henin in straight sets, 6-4, 7-6. US champion Pete Sampras won convincingly into the third round, downing Argetinian Agustin Calleri. -----------------------------------"

" A group of Australian international law academics have written an open letter voicing concerns at the Federal Government's withdrawal of support for United Nations' committees. The letter, signed by seven leading academics from universities around the country, says the Government risks irreversibly damaging Australia's human rights record. One of the signatories, Associate Professor Donald Rothwell, from the University of Sydney, says the absence of an Australian bill of rights means that UN human rights conventions are sometimes the only means for legal redress. ""The rights that are contained for example in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights do not have the force of Australian law,"" Professor Rothwell said. ""And likewise some of the other provisions with respect to the rights of indigenous Australians also do not have the force of law in Australia. ""Therefore, the committees do provide an opportunity where there isn't that avenue to domestic exhaustion of appropriate local remedies."" -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Firefighters are catching up on rest this morning, after a long hard weekend battling hundreds of bushfires around south-east Queensland. All the bushfires fires are now under control. The Queensland Fire and Rescue Authority (QFRA) says it was almost impossible to keep count of the fires over the weekend. The worst day was Saturday, when winds gusts reached speeds of 80 kilometres an hour, fanning more than than 100 fires. Under threat were dozens of homes, schools, a sawmill and a nursing home in Brisbane. Residents were evacuated from homes when fires came to close. Some were damaged when fires came within a metre of their walls. There was grave concern at one stage about the safety of the Caltex oil refinery at Lytton. The gale force winds were carrying smouldering embers, but firefighters used high powered water sprays to keep them away. Thousands of hectares of grassland was burnt out yesterday in the Roadvale area south-west of Ipswich and a number of farm outbuildings destroyed. The QFRA says while its resources are being stretched to the limit, it is managing to cope well. A spokesman says it is hoped favourable weather conditions today will allow firefighters to catch up maintenance and rest. Fine conditions are forecast, with only light winds and an afternoon seabreeze. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" An earthquake that hit the United States of America's Napa Valley in California has injured more than 20 people, damaged houses and cut power. The quake was described as moderate, but it was strong enough to remind Californians that they live in one of the world's earthquake danger zones. The earthquake with a 5.2 magnitude left 25 people injured, knocked out windows and cut power in the heart of northern California's wine growing district. Two people were seriously injured, the rest were treated for cuts. Locals, who were used to tremors in the area, say this earthquake was frightening for it created two sharp jolts, rather than rolling through like many others. Some houses were evacuated and thousands of people have been left without power. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Another United Nations panel has criticised Australia after the Federal Government announced plans to restrict UN human rights committees' visits. The UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has found Australia's indigenous people are still disadvantaged in employment, housing, health and education. The UN also attacked Australia for failing to protect tenants from eviction, saying there appears to have been cases of forced evictions in Sydney as a result of the forthcoming Olympic Games. The committee urged the Federal Government to pursue reconciliation with Aborigines and improve their quality of life. The UN report also highlighted positive aspects, praising Australia's role in providing economic and humanitarian assistance in East Timor. It found Australia's 430,000 Aborigines made up about 2.5 per cent of the population and were the most disadvantaged group. It says Aborigines have vowed to stage peaceful protests to draw attention to their plight throughout the Sydney Olympics, which begin on September 15. ----------------------------------"

" The United States has announced a delay in the development of its National Missile Defence System, saying more time is needed for testing. US President Bill Clinton has decided to let his successor decide whether to deploy the controversial system. It now looks set to be an election issue, with Republican George Bush keen to go ahead with the defence system immediately and Democrat Al Gore more cautious about both the cost and the state of the technology. Mr Clinton said although intial tests were promising, more information was needed before the US could commit itself to the shield. ""The system as a whole is not yet proven,"" he said. ""After the initial tests succeeded, our two most recent tests failed for different reasons to achieve an intercept."" In addition to technical issues, Mr Clinton said concerns from Russia and China played a part in his decision. Russian President Vladimir Putin and leaders of NATO countries have hailed Mr Clinton's announcement. Mr Putin says President Clinton's decision reinforces strategic stability and security in the world. Russia has been among several countries warning that the shield could spark a new arms race. ----------------------------------"

" A Liberal backbencher who was instrumental in a mandatory sentencing deal says the Northern Territory has nearly fulfilled its part of the bargain. The Commonwealth has withheld funding under the deal, which sees the Territory divert some young offenders from mandatory sentencing. Dana Vale says the Territory has fulfilled most of the objectives of the agreement, but it is yet to pass legislation to support it. She says the Territory has progressed well with establishing the program. ""There's far more logistic problems that the Northern Territory has in putting some of these programs in to place,"" Ms Vale said. ""I'm informed that there's about 80 different communities that have to be consulted, they have be consulted fairly and they have to be involved which does take a little time."""

" The Northern Territory's Chief Minister says young offenders are being treated differently by police, from today. Denis Burke says police have been fully briefed about changes to mandatory sentencing, which divert juveniles from jail for certain offences. The Commonwealth has withheld its contribution to the deal, which was supposed to come into place today, because it says the Territory still needs legislation to back it. Mr Burke says the Commonwealth money will eventually come and it has not affected the way the Territory's approached the new diversionary system. ""It could be a caution that is issued either formally or informally, it could be the person is referred to a diversionary program,"" he said. ""If it's in some of the more remote parts of the Northern Territory that diversionary program can be settled with involvement with the leaders of the community and police involved and supervised by members of the community with the police involved."""

" The Federal Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, says he has a view on who should move into a vacancy on his frontbench, but caucus will decide on Tuesday. There is support in the Labor party for West Australian Member of Parliament Carmen Lawrence to return to the Shadow Ministry. Yesterday Shadow Aboriginal Affairs Minister Daryl Melham resigned from the frontbench in protest over Labor's support for Queensland's Native Title laws. Today there is support among some Labor backbenchers for Carmen Lawrence. Deputy Labor leader Simon Crean believes the days of the Marks Royal Commission are behind her. ""She would be a terrific adition,"" he siad. Mr Beazley is not annointing a new frontbencher but says he has someone in mind. ""I have a distinct preference but it'll be expressed within the normal party channels and the normal party processes of picking a frontbencher,"" he said."

" The Queensland Premier has written to the mining industry and indigenous people asking for help to make Native Title work. Peter Beattie says it is time to put an end to the negative politics flowing from yesterday's Senate decision on the State laws. In a letter to the Queensland Indigenous Working Group and the Mining Council, Mr Beattie says a draft indigenous land use agreement should be ready soon to deal with the backlog of exploration permits."

" A 74-year-old Olympic torch bearer has died, shortly after running with the flame through the Hunter Valley town of Muswellbrook this morning. Relay organisers say Ron King, a local cycling identity and bike shop owner, took the torch from his son and completed his run before collapsing from a heart attack in the torch relay bus. Torch officials say one minute's silence will be held at lunchtime celebrations in memory of Mr King and his family. Another minute's silence will be held tonight when the torch reaches Tamworth."

" An announcement is expected shortly about whether former Indonesian president Suharto is considered well enough to stand trial on corruption charges. A team of doctors arrived at his residence this morning, along with members of the former president's legal team. They are expected to announce shortly whether Suharto is fit enough to stand trial on corruption charges. A police motor cycle contingent has arrived, ready to escort the former president to the trial venue. Security has been stepped up at the temporary court, following the overnight explosion of a small bomb in an empty bus parked near the venue."

" The nation's latest airline has begun operations. Virgin Blue's inaugural flight has landed in Sydney after an official launch at Brisbane Airport this morning. The airline's celebrations were slightly marred when the Boeing 737 was delayed by 30 minutes. The plane's maiden flight was due to depart at 9:35am but was forced to return to the gate when the crew found a cabin door had not been closed properly. The glitch was overshadowed by earlier celebrations, which saw Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, cut the ribbon, separating passengers from the boarding gate. The Premier welcomed Virgin Blue to Australia's domestic airline industry, praising the company's commitment to retain competitive prices. ""The competition amongst domestic airfares as you've seen as a result of Virgin coming on the scene has been dramatic,"" he said. ""There are people travelling today I'm sure on Virgin that've never travelled before or haven't been able to afford to travel before."" The airline sold more than 14,500 seats at the $48 fare offered last weekend."

" Mark Philippoussis has cruised into the second round at the US Open tennis tournament in New York but the on-court action has again played second fiddle to Jelena Dokic's father, Damir. Philippoussis won his first round match in straight sets, beating Spain's Albert Portas 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Fellow Australian Richard Fromberg downed Switzerland's George Bastl in four sets, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 to move into the second round. But attention was focused on Damir Dokic, who was banned from Flushing Meadows for the entirety of the tournament after a run-in with officials. ""I feel sorry for her. It's a shame,"" Philippoussis said of Dokic. ""She doesn't look like a happy 17-year-old girl. She's not. She's not smiling out there. ""I would like to see her enjoying herself a bit more. She is just so young. She should be enjoying herself. It's tough. ""She is a great player. She has a big future, [but] things are happening to her. To deal with it can definitely be tough. There's enough to think about on the court with you matches to distract you."" Dokic will be without her father-coach when she faces 93rd-ranked Dutchwoman Miriam Oremans for a berth in the third round. ""Obviously if a member of your family can't be there, it's tough - especially when her father has been there from the start, starting her off in tennis,"" said Philippoussis, who is against a ban of Damir from WTA events. ""He has brought her here. He has helped her with her game. She is here because of him,"" Philippoussis said. ""Obviously he understands things a bit more. I don't think he should be banned. It's too harsh."" But Philippoussis was far more upbeat when speaking about his own game. ""I was positive out there, very relaxed and enjoying myself. There were two times I got broken, one where I nearly got broken, so I had three loose games."" The Victorian's draw has opened up with the elimination of Pat Rafter and Gustavo Kuerten, but he says he's only worrying about his own game. ""As long as you go out there and you concentrate on your match anything can happen, things can open up and you can get a little lucky,"" he said. ""Obviously they're tough matches, those guys play to win and you've still got to win to get through."""

" The attorneys-general of the four Labor-governed states have condemned what they say is a winding back of Australia's commitment to international human rights law. Federal Cabinet says it will restrict UN committees' access to Australia and review the Refugees Convention. The Government also said it will not be joining a sexual discrimination complaints system. The attorneys-general of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania say human rights are a legitimate area for international treaties and Australia should be accountable. Their statement expresses concern that the Federal Government is undermining Australia's reputation and is trying to shelter itself from international criticism. -------------------------------------"

" Vigilantes in Britain have driven a doctor from her home after falsely labelling her a paedophile. Police believe they were confused by her title of paediatrician, or children's doctor. The Royal Gwent Hospital describes Yvette Cloette as a valued and respected member of its paediatric team. Dr Cloette had the walls of her home painted with anti-paedophile slogans. Similar incidents have proliferated since the News of the World newspaper's ""name and shame"" campaign against child molesters. Police believe it was the work of a vigilante group, which confused the words paedophile and paediatrician. Dr Cloette described the incident as extremely distressing and has moved out of her home as a result. -------------------------------------"

" A federal Shadow Cabinet meeting this morning will further consider Labor's position on legislation to give police-style powers to the Army. The Senate is expected to resume debate on the bill today. The bill sets out the process for deploying the Army during civil emergencies. The Opposition agrees with the legislation in-principle, but wants amendments, including requiring the Commonwealth to negotiate with state governments before sending in troops. The nature of the bill has prompted enormous public interest - putting Labor in particular under pressure, including from unions worried troops would be called in to break strikes. Further talks between the parties are expected. It is unclear if the Government will accept Labor's amendments, or insist the bill stay in the form it prefers. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" An international investment banking firm says there is a chance the price of crude oil may hit $87 Australian a barrel, forcing the price of unleaded fuel in cities to $1.20 a litre. Goldman Sachs says rapid world economic growth, the onset of winter in the northern hemisphere and sharply lower global oil reserves, will place further pressure on existing stocks. Dominic Wilson, an economist with the firm, says while the risk is there, Australia is less dependent on oil than it used to be and that is a positive sign. ""A further shock to oil prices would certainly be a negative to the Australian economy but given current strengths, the kind of downturn you're likely to see is going to be much much less serious than it has been in the past,"" he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Immigration Department is continuing a clean-up at the Woomera Detention Centre after six buildings were destroyed during yesterday's disturbance. Holes were also made in the centre's perimeter fence by a group of 80 illegal immigrants. This morning, 27 illegal immigrants were taken to the Adelaide Remand Centre to face charges. Department spokesman, Roger Wheatley, says the centre is returning to normal. ""The centre is functioning as it needs to ... people have been fed and people have accommodation to sleep in,"" he said. ""We obvioously need to do some repairs and remove the damage to the buildings but the centre is functioning."""

" The Federal Government has condemned today's manufacturing industry strike in Victoria. More than 20,000 workers in about 1,000 companies have joined the strike, pushing for industry-wide wage increases of 15 per cent over three years. Federal Industry Minister Nick Minchin says the industrial action sends an alarming message to international investors contemplating an expansion of manufacturing in Australia. ""It's a particularly stupid action when we are all working very hard to attract investment in manufacturing in the automobile industry in this country,"" he said. ""There's potential for over $4 billion in auto investments in Australia over the next five years, (and they are) all threatened by this crazy indusrial action in Victoria."""

" The Federal Government will consider sanctions against national sporting federations to force them to keep track of athletes. It follows an admission by Australia's official drug testing agency that some athletes are able to avoid random testing. The Australian Sports Drug Agency says some athletes have evaded random drugs tests by not giving accurate contact details or travelling to areas too remote for testing officials. The agency says it relies on sporting federations for information about where an athlete is training. Sports Minister Jackie Kelly says sporting federations have a responsibility to provide accurate data to the agency to stop athletes avoiding drug tests. ""We've got to close that loophole and we will do so,"" she said. The Minister says her department is now considering ways to make sporting federations more accountable."

" The Federal Government has bought $850,000 worth of Olympic tickets in corporate boxes at Stadium Australia. The Prime Minister, John Howard, says the tickets were bought to advance Australia's interests. Mr Howard says the Games gives them an opportunity to meet corporate decision makers from around the world. ""For this Government and its senior members to pass up the opportunity of meeting those people ... and advancing the interests of this country would be absolutely ridiculous,"" Mr Howard said. Mr Howard says Government members have to declare anyOlympic packages which they accept from corporate groups and overnight accommodation should be refused."

" Tough new laws aimed at stamping out the trade in illegal tobacco, known as chop chop, have been passed by the Federal Parliament. The Government says it has been losing $300 million a year in excise from the illegal trade. Under the new laws, tax officers will have extended powers to search vehicles suspected of carrying illegal tobacco, producers will be licensed and tobacco bales will be tagged and monitored. Assistant Treasurer Rod Kemp says the regime, which includes fines of more than $50,000, has industry support. ""Producer cooperatives were consulted as I said in the development of the measures proposed by this bill and [they] strongly agree with them,"" he said. ""I think this was a very important part of developing this strategy...working with the industry who were concerned to cut down on this illegal trade."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The future of East Timor's pro-independence grouping, the CNRT, will be decided today by delegates attending its first national congress in Dili. The decision will come just one day before the territory celebrates the anniversary of last year's vote for independence. It is likely that delegates will agree to re-name the CRNT the CRNT National Congress - less focused on resistance against Indonesia's occupation and more focused on stability and a peaceful transition towards full independence. The CRNT was formed in April 1988 to unite all East Timorese political parties. Some in the First National Congress have argued that the resistance struggle is by definition over and political parties should be free to pursue their own policy platforms. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The chief of the Australian Army has dismissed claims legislation before the Senate would expand the Army's powers during a civil emergency. Australian Greens Senator Bob Brown and civil liberties groups are concerned the defence amendment bill would give the army police-style powers, including the right to shoot to kill. The bill, being debated by the Senate today, defines the Federal Government's powers to deploy troops during a security emergency. Army chief Major General Peter Cosgrove says the Government is not using the Olympics as an opportunity to expand the Army's powers. ""It doesn't actually expand it at all, it really just clarifies the way in which it will be done,"" he said. ""The army is not anticipating that this will be any additional power, just a clearer way of doing it."""

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has rejected claims the Federal Government will receive a windfall from its petrol excise because of higher fuel prices. Several groups, including the Federal Opposition and the National Farmers Federation, claim there will be a windfall because petrol prices are higher than they were at the time of the Budget. However, Mr Howard says that is not the case, with the Budget papers showing that as inflation increases, less revenue flows to Government, with a negative effect on the Budget. ""It is worse off as a result of the indexation arrangements, rather than being better off, so this argument you get a windfall through the excise collection if the price of petrol is higher than what was calculated at the time of the Budget... that is wrong, wrong, wrong,"" he said."

" A Sydney court has heard that a former juror interviewed by John Laws two years ago was a long-time friend of the radio broadcaster. The prosecution has completed its case against Laws, who has pleaded not guilty to soliciting information from a former juror in 1998. Mr Laws spent the day in the dock in the New South Wales Supreme Court. The former juror in a 1998 controversial murder trial told the court she received a telephone call from Laws's personal assistant after a sleepless night of anguish over the acquittal of two men. The ex-juror, identified as Mrs Hanson, said she was asked if she would speak to the broadcaster on his 2UE morning show. She said if she had have more sleep and been less stressed she would have declined to go on-air. Mrs Hanson said she largely spoke to Mr Laws because he was a friend, adding there was no pressure put on her."

" The Federal Opposition is unlikely to succeed in a bid this week to establish a Senate inquiry into petrol prices. The Labor Party has released its proposed terms of reference for the inquiry, which would look at the link between the new tax system and higher fuel prices. The Democrats have ruled out supporting the inquiry, describing it as a waste of time. But Shadow Treasurer Simon Crean says an inquiry is needed to hold the Government to account. ""It's not just a political stunt,"" he said. ""This is an exercise to get the Government to honour its promise and to expose the deceit that they're now saying that this would cost a lot of money to honour the promise. ""They've got a windfall that they never factored into the budget. They can afford to honour the promise and they should."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has vowed to continue the war against terrorism, despite the loss of three soldiers during an offensive against Islamic militants. Israeli leaders have indicated that the soldiers may have been accidentally killed by their own side. The raid on a northern West Bank village should have been a triumph for Israel's elite commando unit. Instead, it resulted in the death of three soldiers and the escape of one of Israel's most wanted men. Mahmoud Abu Hanoud, a prominent member of the Islamic resistance movement Hamas, is believed to have masterminded two 1997 suicide bombings that killed more than 20 Israelis. Abu Hanoud fled into Palestinian territory and is now in the custody of Palestinian police. Israeli Defence Force chief Shaul Mofaz has not ruled out that his men were killed by so called friendly fire. An inquiry is being established while Israel decides whether to push for Abu Hanoud's extradition. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Commonwealth secretary-general Don McKinnon has wound up two days of talks in Pakistan, promising the Commonwealth will do what it can to help restore democracy there. He says he received no commitment from Pakistan's military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, for general elections. But Mr McKinnon says he accepts on face value the General's commitment to rebuild Pakistan's troubled democracy. ""One could look backwards forever,"" he said. ""I've said this country has had a very volatile political history. ""What I'm more concerned about is looking ahead, where are we going from here. People do worry if Pakistan becomes a very unstable state."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The managing director of St George Bank has described the decision to cut back the bank's workforce by more than 10 per cent as ""painful"". However, shares in the company have surged on the Australian Stock Exchange. At about 4:00pm AEST, St George shares were up 27 cents at $11.55. The bank has announced details of what it calls a ""major redesign of its operations"". By eliminating duplication and inefficiencies, it is looking to achieve a boost to pre-tax earnings of $120 million by its 2002 financial year. But the managing director, Ed O'Neal, says there was always going to be an impact on jobs. ""Although some roles will no longer exist, some staff will simply move to new or different roles, but no matter how hard you work at these things, there are always painful decisions to be made,"" he said."

" The Federal Treasury has delivered a positive outlook on the national economy, playing down the extent of inflationary pressure. Treasury's latest quarterly report on the economy says despite strong growth and employment throughout the last financial year, inflationary pressures are under control. Taking out the effect of petrol prices and other factors described as one-off influences, the report says ongoing inflation is significantly lower than the headline rate of 3 per cent. Its observations are based on data before the introduction of the goods and services tax. Treasury's overall outlook remains positive. It says easing growth in domestic demand will be partially offset by the benefits for exports from the falling Australian dollar."

" The Federal Government is on the receiving end of some stinging criticism from the former Liberal prime minister Malcolm Fraser. Mr Fraser launched the attack in Darwin last night, when he delivered the 5th annual Vincent Lingiari Memorial lecture, in honour of the Gurindji man, who lead the 1966 Wave Hill walk-off. In his speech, Mr Fraser was critical of the Federal Government's handling of reconciliation, the Stolen Generations, the United Nations and mandatory sentencing. Mr Fraser said governments must act more vigorously and with greater conscience. ""And if governments will not act, then this is a matter on which people must act to secure a government that will. ""The dignity and self esteem of Australia at some point will demand it,"" he said. The Reconciliation Minister, Philip Ruddock, has defended the Federal Government's approach to reconciliation and rejected Mr Fraser's call for a national apology to the Stolen Generations. ""The Government has expressed its deep and sincere regret for what has occurred in the past,"" he said. ""We indicated that we've got no problem with any form of words that doesn't sugggest inter-generational liability and culpability."" The chair of the Reconciliation Council says last night's address by Mr Fraser encourages more action. Evelyn Scott says Mr Fraser's statements, including his call for a bill of rights, have support among indigenous people. ""I believe that now with our leaders we really need to get together in some sort of a national forum where we can talk about these issues, of a bill of rights, and really push it,"" she said. ""Because unless we don't start talking about it, governments won't start talking about it so we need to be a part of the solution to our problem."" The head of the Northern Territory Stolen Generations Corporation, Maurie Ryan Japarte, says he hopes the Federal Government listens to Mr Fraser's statements. ""Absolutely enthralled for what he said and I'm going to study this for the next couple of days, because I reckon it was one of the most fantastic speeches I've heard from a prime minister of this country. ""I admire him for it, it was beautiful,"" he said. ------------------------------------"

" The International Olympic Committee (IOC) says it will consider on Monday any action over late nominations of the Australian team. The IOC says the Australian Olympic Committee has until the end of Friday, european time, to finalise Australia's Olympic team. The selection of some athletes is still uncertain because of appeals to the Court of Arbitration of Sport but the the deadline for track and field entries is still two weeks away. An IOC spokesman in Lausanne says any possible penalties or exclusions for Australia will be considered next week. Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates says there is no guarantee that athletes who successfully appeal against their exclusion from the team will be included. The AOC will submit two lists to the IOC. One will include all nominated athletes, the other the names of athletes lodging appeals. ----------------------------------"

" Veteran Mick Martyn and Shane Clayton have been named in the Kangaroos squad for tonight's preliminary final against Melbourne at the MCG. Shannon Motlop and Adam Lange are out. The Demons have named an unchanged line-up for the match. Roos ruckman Mathew Burton says consistency is the key. ""I think I'm a bit like the Kangaroos have been this year, hopefully tomorrow I can do it for four quarter and so can we,"" he said. Essendon has named the same side which thrashed the Kangaroos a fortnight ago for tomorrow's final against Carlton. The Blues however, have brought in Fraser Brown and Dean Rice for the injured Stephen Silvagni and Brett Backwell. Carlton coach David Parkin claims it will be a miracle if the Blues beat the Bombers. -----------------------------------"

" Australia's peak motorists group says the Federal Government can afford to provide one-off relief from rising petrol prices. The Prime Minister has continued to defend the government's refusal to cut taxes on fuel, saying it would mean spending cuts elsewhere, or running down the surplus. Australian Automobile Association's Lachlan McIntosh says that is not the case, with the government receiving an unexpected windfall from rising world oil prices. Mr McIntosh has repeated the call for the government to freeze the excise, rather than increasing it with inflation, next February. ""The government didn't anticipate this large increase in the crude oil price in its own factoring, it expected world oil prices to fall,"" he said. ""So any increase in the petroleum resources rent tax that increase is significant, we believe the government probably has $500 million extra, which it could use to offset the index in excise next February."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Australian Medical Assocation (AMA) has launched a new program aimed at improving the health of young people. The AMA has appointed a youth health advocate to implement programs specifically targeting the health needs of young people. There will be a particular focus on rural areas, where young people experience more health problems but are less likely to visit a doctor. The advocate, Melanie Earl, says she wants to improve the relationship between young people and the medical profession. ""Part of my role is to find the middle ground and its really to look at skilling young people to be able to have the confidence and the ability to use their right to access medical services,"" she said. ""It's also about skilling up doctors to understand some of those unique health needs that young people have."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Prominent forecaster Access Economics is warning the worst might not be over for the Australian dollar. The local currency has fallen to a new three-month low overnight but is showing signs of recovery. Potentially putting upward pressure on petrol prices and inflation, the Australian dollar had fallen almost two cents in a day by the close of trade yesterday. During the European trading session overnight, it has been even lower, bottoming at 56.68 US cents, its lowest level since May. Meanwhile, in its latest Economics Monitor released publicly overnight, Access Economics says activity in the United States continues to surprise with its strength and US interest rates might need to rise by more than financial markets are assuming. That, it says, would keep the Australian dollar under pressure. When Australia's Reserve Bank raised interest rates in April and May, it specifically mentioned the weakness of the dollar as a concern. ------------------------------"

" Indonesia's President, Abdurrahman Wahid, has unveiled a new and smaller cabinet to tackle the country's social unrest and economic woes. The lineup may have caused a rift with his deputy, Megawati Sukarnoputri. President Wahid says he jointly decided the new Cabinet with his deputy, Megawati Sukarnoputri, who it was announced two weeks ago would take over day-to-day running of Government affairs. But Megawati was conspicuously absent for the naming of the new Cabinet line-up. President Wahid told reporters his deputy was missing because she had to quickly return home to take a shower. But sources close to the President say Megawati disagreed over several of the new Cabinet appointments. Close Presidential ally, Alwi Shihab, has been retained as Foreign Minister and Attorney-General Mazuki Daroesman who brought corruption charges against former President Suharto, retains his position. -------------------------------"

" Russian President Vladimir Putin has criticised the state of the Navy's rescue equipment during a meeting with bereaved relatives of the 118 crew members of the nuclear submarine Kursk. He made his comments during talks in Murmansk which lasted for more than three hours. Mr Putin had gone to see the relatives after meeting naval chiefs and after declaring a national day of mourning. President Putin arrived in the Arctic dressed in black, following emotional pleas for forgiveness from the Navy and the Defence Minister. But Russians do not seem to be in a forgiving mood following the loss of the Kursk and all her crew in a protracted and poorly handled rescue. The media is continuing its criticism, 'those who pretended to be a superpower will not be excused, said one newspaper. These attacks which have goaded the President into action. But for many Russians, Mr Putin has failed the first test of his presidency. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Tension is once again rising in Northern Ireland, with the arrest and imprisonment of the commander of a paramilitary group, the Ulster Defence Association (UDA). Johnny ""Mad Dog"" Adair was released from Maze Prison last September under the terms of the Good Friday peace agreement. In a dramatic move, provoked by the recent battles between rival Protestant paramilitaries in Belfast, Northern Ireland Secretary Peter Mandelson has revoked the UDA leader's licence for early release. Adair, one of Northern Ireland's most feared Protestant extremists, has been blamed for inflaming tension between the Protestant groups since his release from prison last September. In a statement, Mr Mandelson said he could not give freedom to an individual intent on abusing it and he has urged the people of Belfast to reject gangsters and thugs interested only in their own power and greed. It followed several days of bloody feuding in Belfast between Protestant extremist groups which has left two dead and many more wounded. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" It may be several more weeks before the competition watchdog rules on whether oil companies are profiteering on petrol, or have passed on cost savings from the new tax system. Oil companies are impatient to be cleared of profiteering, saying inadequate federal goods and services tax (GST) compensation has forced them to raise prices by one-and-a-half cents a litre. The Government continues to blame world oil prices, not state and federal taxes, for the high pump prices and has rejected the Senate inquiry demanded by state Labor premiers. The competition and consumer commission's chairman, Alan Fels, says oil companies will have to be patient for his ruling. ""We don't run this show for the benefit of the oil companies, it's just one of many issues that we're reporting on in our monitoring report, and they'll get their day then,"" he said. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) and Athletics Australia say there will be no problems naming our Olympic team by Friday's deadline. The team list is uncertain because the International Olympic Committee (IOC) says athletes who succesfully appeal their failure to make the team, may not be allowed to compete. The problem stems from the IOC's insistance that for team members to be added to the list after Friday, there needs to be a medical problem with the athletes already selected. But Athletics Australia says it will use that rule to include on Friday's list athletes who are appealing their non-inclusion in the team. The AOC says it is a simple administrative issue that has not been a problem at past games. Athletics Australia's Brian Roe claims everyone who eventually qualifies will compete in September. ""All the people who are in the ballpark for nomination, being appealed against, or appealing, are all in the entry system by the required date."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Prime Minister has lashed out against Queensland Premier Peter Beattie over the Premier's calls for an inquiry into petrol prices. Mr Howard says Mr Beattie is engaging in a cheap stunt by suggesting excise and the GST are responsible for the latest round of petrol price increases. He says if the Premier seriously wants fuel excises cut, he should name which state grants he would be prepared to have reduced by the Commonwealth. Mr Howard says world oil price movements are the key factor behind petrol price rises. ""It really is the most unmitigated stunt I have seen in years for Peter Beattie to carry on in this headline hunting superficial fashion,"" he said. ""Politicians who call for inquiries are either afflicted by one of two political disabilities: either they don't have a policy or they don't know how to solve the problem."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition claims the Government has created another problem for itself in its approach to legislation regarding access to reproductive technology. The Government has confirmed its legislation will allow Western Australia and South Australia to continue to have lengthy waiting times before de facto couples can access IVF programs. The Shadow Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, says the five-year waiting times are a form of discrimination. Mr McClelland says the Federal Government is caught between its promise not to discriminate against de factos while giving the states a free-hand to run discriminatory laws. ""They seem to be allowing the states to define the concept of de facto,"" he said. ""Once they do that, they are permitting the states to discriminate against de factos, as they do in actual fact in Western Australia and South Australia."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is warning Australia, its complete Games team must be named by Friday, regardless of outstanding appeals. At the same time, Olympic organisers have clarified flag rules and indigenous athletes have been told they will not be able to run on the track with the Aboriginal flag. Spectators can carry the Australian, Aboriginal and boxing kangaroo flags, but athletes can only carry the Australian flag on the track. The ruling means Cathy Freeman will not be permitted a re-run of her 1994 victory lap. With 10 or more appeals and medical reports pending on the Australian athletes, it seems certain the team will not be named by Friday's IOC imposed deadline. IOC executive Jacque Rogge says only genuine medical problems will allow a selection change on the team. ""I would imagine that it is a problem,"" he said. ""All of this must be anticipated and it all depends on when you organise the last trials. ""If you organise them very close to the Games, then you're bound to have problems."""

" An international team has reached a stricken Russian submarine in arctic waters off northern Russia, and is set to begin a new rescue attempt. But Russian officials now say that after a week trapped under the sea, all the men aboard the submarine are likely to be dead. The announcement came just as the British rescue team was sailing into the Barents Sea. A Russian admiral confirmed there were now unlikely to be any survivors. He said the men in the nose of the submarine probably died instantly when it hit the sea bed. The men in the rear compartments had survived longer, but the messages they had tapped in code on the hull said that the water was rising around them. The admiral's address was televised nationally, but the sailor's relatives were not informed beforehand, learning the fate of their loved ones from television like the rest of Russia. --------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government is planning to launch its biggest vaccination campaign, offering Australians between 18 and 30 free vaccination against measles. The campaign aims to eradicate measles in Australia and is focusing on that age group because it is the only generation which has been overlooked in other campaigns. The Australian Medical Association's Dr Shane Sondergeld says the program, offered on a voluntary basis, is long overdue. ""Particularly we're concerned about effects on the brain and also effects on the lungs,"" he said. ""But more importantly in this age group, if measeles can be contracted, it can then be passed on to younger members of the community who may not be vaccinated."" --------------------------------------"

" Queensland Premier Peter Beattie is calling for a Senate inquiry into the rise in petrol prices since the introduction of the GST. Fuel prices in Brisbane reached 92.9 cents at most bowsers earlier this week and are now at about 89.9 cents. In other areas around the state, fuel has either hit the $1 per litre mark or is creeping close. Mr Beattie has attacked the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission for cracking down on supermarkets and toll roads but ignoring the massive fuel price rises. The Premier says he believes it is time for a Senate inquiry into the massive rise in petrol prices. --------------------------------------"

" Polls suggest Democratic presidential candidate Al Gore has pulled slightly ahead of his Republican rival George W Bush, after his nominating convention. An NBC television opinion poll found 46 per cent of more than 500 respondents prefer Senator Gore, with 43 per cent preferring Mr Bush. The network says the poll shows Senator Gore has received the same kind of convention bounce that Mr Bush did in a similar poll taken immediately after the Republican convention. Senator Gore is now back on the campaign trail, appealing to working families. ""This election is to enable and to empower all of us to join together to say the people of America have had enough, we want these changes and ... we're going to stand up for our families,"" he said. However, Mr Bush gave Mr Gore low marks for his Democratic National Convention speech, dismissing it as a laundry list of promises to make up for past failures. At a campaign stop in Senator Gore's home ground of Tennessee, Mr Bush was cheered as he tore into his rival's nomination acceptance speech in Los Angeles. Reiterating comments that he made at the recent Republican National Convention, Mr Bush accused the Clinton administration of squandering opportunities and says Al Gore cannot escape the blame. ""We heard a laundry list of new promises, which I thought was an attempt to cover up old failures,"" he said. ""It is a long list of promises without priorities, a list of promises without purpose or vision."" -----------------------------------------------"

" Post-mortem results on a woman and man whose bodies were recovered from a Queanbeyan house fire have revealed they were murdered before the fire started. The post-mortem revealed 35-year-old David John McNally died as a result of gunshot wounds to the head and upper body, and his de facto wife 32-year-old Adelia Williams died after being stabbed a number of times in the upper body. Police have recovered accelerant from the crime scene. They believe it was used to light the fire. The couple's three children, aged eight, six and four, were in the house at the time of the attack but were rescued from the fire by police. The six-year-old boy had been shot in the head but was released from hospital yesterday after surgery to remove bullets from his skull. The eight-year-old girl dialled 000 when she was awoken by a smoke alarm in the house. The three childen are now in the care of relatives who are assisting police with their murder investigations. --------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government will move to fix a problem in the wording of its reproductive technology legislation, which could have left the way open for states to ban de facto couples from accessing IVF programs. The Government's legislation, tabled in Parliament this week, had been designed to ban lesbians and single women from IVF, but would also have allowed discrimination on the basis of a couple's marital status. The Attorney-General, Daryl Williams, says the Government will put forward an amendment to ensure women living in a de facto relationship with a man could not be denied access to reproductive technology services."

" Police say evidence collected from the Childers backpackers fire will be sent to America for analysis by an arson expert. In the Bundaberg Magistrate's Court today, 37-year-old Robert Paul Long was remanded in custody until November 7 on charges of murdering Western Australian twins, Stacey Louise Slarke and Kelly June Slarke on June 23. He was also charged with setting fire to the Palace backpackers hostel in the main street of the southern Queensland farming town. Fifteen backpackers died in the blaze. Speaking outside the court, north coast region Detective Inspector, Jeff Oliphant said it was expected the results of the US analysis would be known within three months. He said there would be no further charges relating to the fire until the current ones are dealt with. ""A significant number of witnesses will be called, but I don't expect that all those people who were at Childers will be called,"" he said. "" ""There's only the people we believe that will assist us in proving our case. ""Most statements have now been obtained from all the people we believe will assist us. ""Scientific statements and evidence have got to be finalised and hopefully in three months time, that will all be put together."""

" NSW legislation enacted yesterday has resulted in today's decision by a Supreme Court judge to reduce the sentences of three men over the death of a truck driver in Sydney's south-west in 1998. Ronan Sharkey reports the trio pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 30-year-old Mark Evans after pushing concrete rocks from a pedestrian overpass onto his moving truck. Mr Evans died after a concrete rock crashed through his windscreen and struck him in the chest as he drove along the M5 motorway at Menangle. Sean Sutcliffe and brothers Sean and Liam McGoldrick, aged 22, 21 and 17 at the time, pleaded guilty to manslaughter. A 17-year-old also involved received a good behaviour bond last year. Yesterday the New South Wales court of criminal appeal recommended jugdes consider sentence discounts of between 10 and 25 per cent in the case of a guilty plea. In the Supreme Court today, Justice Adams implemented the guidelines by the full 25 per cent. Sean Sutcliffe, identified as the instigator, received a five year jail term; Sean McGoldrick received four years, and Liam McGoldrick received two-and-a-half years periodic detention."

" In Perth, four teenage members of the racing industry have been sentenced to detention for their involvement in the gang-rape of an 18-year-old stablehand. The apprentice jockeys were convicted of multiple sex offences in what the judge described as a prolonged, sordid and humiliating episode. The four, who were described as ringleaders, received sentences of between three and four years. All were given minimum terms of between 12 and 20 months. Two other youths who were convicted of detaining the woman against her will avoided a jail term, and received supervision orders."

" The Federal Government is playing down the significance of a Telstra memo which discusses political pressures on the independent inquiry into telecommunications. The Opposition says the memo, circulated to senior Telstra managers, calls into question the independence of the Besley inquiry - a report which will influence the Government's ongoing push to fully privatise Telstra. The assistant Communications Minister, Peter McGauran, says the memo has no bearing on Government policy or the direction of the Besley inquiry. ""I've looked at this red hot, top secret, protected eyes only inquiry,"" he said. ""It's from the head of the regulatory section, it's thinking aloud, it's reading the tea leaves on the Besley inquiry. ""You may as well open up a chicken and study the entrails for as much knowledge as this might provide."" ---------------------------------"

" The chairman of Fiji's Great Council of Chiefs, Sitiveni Rabuka, says sanctions against his country are aimed at the wrong target. Australia has withdrawn non-humanitarian aid, suspended defence and sporting ties. Major General Rabuka says the so called smart sanctions are aimed at the fire brigade rather than the arsonists. ""The arsonists are on Nukulu Island awaiting court, the fire brigade is the...Government that's trying to put things back together,"" he said. But Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, is unapologetic, saying it is important to keep up international pressure to get the country back to democracy. Mr Downer has also warned a new World Trade Organisation consistent import credit scheme for the textile industry, being negotiated with Fiji, could be at risk if there is no progress towards a return to democracy. ""That will depend very much on the messages we get out of Fiji in the next few weeks,"" he said. ---------------------------------"

" The latest attempt to rescue the stricken Russian nuclear submarine in the Barents Sea has run into problems. Navy officials say a mini-submarine sent to rescue 116 trapped sailors was unable to dock with the Kursk because of a sudden worsening in the weather. However, a second underwater vessel is continuing to search for Kursk's escape hatch. The nuclear submarine has been stranded on the seabed since Saturday and is lying at a difficult angle. It is estimated air in the vessel will run out on Friday. Concern is growing, with a Russian Navy spokesman saying they have not heard those inside the submarine tapping on the hull as they have on previous occasions. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Prime Minister has promised Australia's social security safety net will remain through any changes the Government makes to welfare reform. Mr Howard has endorsed the broad thrust of the McClure report into the welfare system, which recommends an expansion of mutual obligation requirements for people on benefits and a consolidation of different types of payments. The Government will deliver a detailed response to the recommendations this year. Mr Howard has ruled-out taking welfare payments away from those who need them. ""We are not in the business of cutting benefits for needy Australians, we never will,"" he said. ""Needy Australians will always be protected under this Government."""

" Police in northern Thailand have charged a Thai suspect in a murder case with drug offences. None of the eight suspects police are considering have been charged in relation to the murder of British backpacker Kirsty Jones. Police claim DNA testing of semen samples will identify the killer of Kirsty Jones by the end of this week. The 23-year-old English backpacker was sexually assaulted and murdered in her room at Chiang Mai's Aree Guest house, one week ago. Two Australian suspects remain in police detention. One of them has been charged with drug offences. Last night, police arrested Surin Chanparnet, a Thai manager of the Aree Guest House. He has also been charged with drug-related offences. ____________________________________________________________________"

" A skier who spent two nights on the slopes of Victoria's Mount Hotham in temperatures as low as -8 degrees celsius says he survived because of tips he picked up from the media. Police who conducted the search for 32-year-old novice skier Stuart Page, from Melbourne, say they were amazed by his high spirits after the ordeal. Mr Page is undergoing treatment at Hotham Medical Centre for mild hypothermia. Mr Page says because of information in reports of other rescues, he knew the essentials of how to survive. When he realised he was lost on Monday evening, he built a snow cave. He drank water from the headwaters of the Diamentina Creek and ate moss. Again from the media, he knew to stay where he was. Yesterday, he improved his icy abode by adding branches to provide more protection. He had crossed his skis in the snow and was waving when an ABC helicopter found him about 1:00pm today. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Federal Government has confirmed assault charges have been laid against six members of the elite 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment based at Holsworthy in New South Wales. They were charged after a military investigation completed in April last year. Time magazine alleged that soldiers in the regiment have been bashed or tortured with the knowledge of senior officers in a system of regimental discipline. But procedings against those charged were stalled by the regiment's deployment to East Timor. A spokesman for the Minister Assisting the Minister on Defence, Bruce Scott, says a legal technicality had delayed the case. The spokesperson says the Government does not condone any action which circumvents the proper administration of the Defence Force Discipline Act. He says the Minister is expecting a briefing on progress in the case at the end of this month. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The future of the supersonic Concorde remains unclear today after a decision by British Airways to ground its fleet removing the last of the jets from service. British Airways had kept its fleet in the air despite last month's crash near Paris, which left 114 people dead. In the weeks after the Air France crash, British Airways has insisted, with the support of Britain's Civil Aviation Authority, that its Concordes were still safe to fly. But both the French and British accident investigators have now decided to recommend the withdrawal of the aircraft's airworthiness certificate. As a result, British Airways flights have been suspended, with its last Concorde flight literally recalled from the runway before take-off. The authorities have yet to reveal if there has been any new information gleaned from the French crash has led to their decision. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia says it will give considerable money and resouces to help Indonesia close refugee camps in West Timor. The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, says this will be in addition to the $7.5 million Australia has already given to maintain the camps. Mr Downer told Parliament that Australia was deeply concerned at recent militia attacks into East Timor. He says Indonesia accepts that closing the camps in West Timor is fundamental to solving the problem of militia activity. ""The Government of Indonesia must provide effective security to ensure that there is no militia intimidation, unimpeded access to camps for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and there is a credible registration process,"" he said. ""It is crucial that the refugees are able to exercise their choice on resettlement in Indonesia or repatriation to East Timor, free of any intimidation."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" A former ALP New South Wales MP, Keith Enderbury, has died in hospital after being attacked and set alight in his Sydney home last night. Police say Mr Enderbury died in the Concorde Hospital burns unit shortly after 3:00pm today. Mr Enderbury had received burns to 90 per cent of his body, after being doused with an accelerant and set on fire. His 22-year-old son, Christian Enderbury, appeared briefly in Burwood Local Court earlier this afternoon, charged with the attempted murder of his father. He has been remanded in custody, to appear in court again on October 12. Keith Enderbury was a Labor MLC from March 1984 to March 1995. Mr Enderbury was involved with Labor Party for more than 30 years and served the ALP for 11 years in the Upper House. Born in Bankstown, Mr Enderbury lived on the state's north coast, where he was an ALP organiser for many years. In the late 1980s, Mr Enderbury was among several people the Independent Commission Against Corruption investigated in relation to north coast land deals. He was Labor's Upper House whip for the six years to 1995 when he failed to be re-endorsed for a further term. NSW Premier Bob Carr told Parliament both sides of politics had fond memories of Mr Enderbury. ""In a speech he gave in his first year in Parliament, Keith reflected on his long journey from the days when he ran messages to Macquarie Street as a first year apprentice printer,"" he said. ""He recalled the great honour 30 years later of walking into Parliament House as a member of the Legislative Council."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Russia's naval chief acknowledges that it may not be possible to rescue the sailors trapped in a nuclear submarine which sank in the Arctic. Naval vessels have arrived on the scene to begin the rescue effort. The submarine sank in the Barents Sea in the Arctic Circle during a Russian naval training exercise. The submarine is understood to have taken on water, trapping its crew of 107 men. The cause of the incident is not yet known, although the chief of the Russian Navy has speculated that it was the result of a collision. The Russian Navy insists that the submarine has no nuclear weapons aboard and that its two nuclear reactors have been switched off. As the nuclear reactors power the submarine's generator, the men are now relying on back-up batteries to purify their air. It is not clear how much battery time they have left and it is possible the men may suffocate. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government has defended its right to again present rejected industrial relations legislation in the Senate, despite predictable defeat. The Government has begun taking steps towards creating a double-dissolution trigger for the next election, with the defeat of its small business unfair dismissal laws in the Senate last night. Democrats Senator Andrew Murray says the resurrection of the legislation was a stunt to give the Government a certain trigger for a double-dissolution election if it ever needs one. The Democrats have vowed to reject the legislation again when it is brought back to the Senate in three months. But the Workplace Relations Minister, Peter Reith, says the Coalition will not surrender in its attempt to deliver on its election promises. ""The fact of the matter is it's no political stunt. It's an election commitment that the Government made, particularly to the small business community and we don't walk away from the commitments we have made, particularly when up to 50,000 jobs could be created as a result,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" North and South Korea will set aside half a century of animosity today, when they allow the first reunions of families torn apart by the Korean war. Flights carrying 100 mostly elderly citizens will take off from the northern and southern capitals at the same time to meet family members they have not seen for 50 years. The heavily controlled events will be broadcast on television across the Korean peninsula, partly to appease the millions of others who have missed out this time. South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung will meet and speak with the northern group, which is led by a woman who defected to Pyongyang. His northern counterpart, Kim Jong-Il will tell the South Koreans that his country is dedicated to peace and unification, something many Koreans still disbelieve. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Kangaroos' hopes of beating Hawthorn in the AFL semi-final on Friday night have received a boost with mid-fielder David King cleared by the AFL tribunal last night. King, who kicked seven of his team's 11 goals in the 20-goal loss to Essendon last Saturday, was cleared of a charge of striking Essendon's Chris Heffernan during the third quarter. The tribunal found contact had been made, but with no videotape of the incident available, King was given the benefit of the doubt as to whether the contact was a punch or a push. Earlier, a striking charge against Geelong's Tim McGrath was withdrawn. Meanwhile, the Kangaroos have been fined $35,000 for the late lodgement of contracts. The Brisbane Lions have been fined $7,500 for the same offence."

" The Federal Government has rejected two out of five possible sites in South Australia's outback for Australia's first national low-level nuclear waste repository. The Federal Resources Minister, Nick Minchin, says the remaining three sites are in flat country on pastoral leases between Woomera and Roxby Downs, with one site being in the Woomera prohibited area. Senator Minchin says all stakeholders, including Aboriginal groups, pastoralists and soil conservationists, are being consulted and the final choice is expected to be made by the end of the year. ""All this land meets the criteria originally established back in 1992 by Simon Crean for the establishment of a low level waste repository,"" he said. ""The land in question is in flat, stony, desert country - it's all well away from the Great Artesian Basin, it's geologically stable, so it meets all the criteria that were originally set down by the former Labor government for establishing a national, low level waste respository."" A spokesman for the South Australian Premier, John Olsen, says while the State Government has given in-principle support for the esablishment of a low-level nuclear waste dump, ultimately the Federal Government will still have to convince the State Government that the safest and best site has been chosen. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Olympic torch is on New South Wales soil. The torch crossed the Union Bridge over the Murray River at Albury Wodonga this afternoon. A big crowd gathered along the Lincoln Causeway leading to Albury, including the New South Wales Tourism Minister Sandra Norrie, who was there to greet the torchbearer on behalf of the New South Wales Premier. The Victorian Sport and Recreation Minister, Justin Madden, was also there to say farewell. The torch was carried across the border by middle distance runner Damian Clark and handed to local triathlete Tony Serbs for the first full leg on New South Wales' soil. It was carried around the crowd lined streets by runners, including the chief executive of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, Sandy Hollway, before the official cauldron lighting ceremony. ____________________________________________________________________"

" India is on full alert ahead of tomorrow's Independence Day. In the lead-up to the celebrations, the biggest Muslim militant group fighting in Kashmir has conducted two bomb attacks against the Indian Army. Kashmir's powerful Hizbul Mujahedeen militant group has claimed responsibility for two attacks in southern Kashmir. At least six Indian border guards have been killed and another 45 injured. The attacks followed the separatist group's cancellation of a 15-day cease-fire and a promise to step up attacks against India. Preparing for tomorrow's Independence Day celebrations, Indian security forces are placing the capital under tight security. But a spokesperson for Hizbul Mujahedeen would not comment on the group's plans. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has hit back at United States criticism of his 19 years in power. Protests in support of Dr Mahathir's jailed former deputy, Anwar Ibrahim, continue in Malaysia for the third day in a row. Yesterday, 2,000 Anwar supporters gathered outside the main gate of the prison where Anwar may spend the next 14 years following his conviction on political corruption and sodomy charges. United States Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, has said Malaysia deserved a better leader than Dr Mahathir. The Malaysian leader has hit back, suggesting the US had no right to criticise Malaysia's justice system, because the United States courts were the same. He referred to the policemen who were filmed beating Rodney King, but were allowed to go free. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government has dismissed calls for a tribunal to be established to determine Stolen Generations compensation cases. The Australian of the Year and deputy chair of the Reconciliation Council, Sir Gustav Nossel, has suggested a tribunal be set up. Sir Gustav says it would be less costly than using the court system to decide compensation cases. But the Federal Immigration Minister, Phillip Ruddock, has told Channel Nine the suggestion will not work. ""Let's understand what happens in a tribunal environment,"" Mr Ruddock said. ""If people are legally represented, the same sorts of questions are going to be asked, the same sorts of issues are going to have to be addressed in terms of bringing out the factual situation and applying law and it doesn't mean you won't end up in the courts."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Malaysia has sent a formal protest note to Australia and several other western nations, rejecting international criticism of its justice system. The courts in Malaysia have been widely criticised for sentencing former deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim to a total of 15 years' jail, on charges he claims were fabricated by his political opponents. Malaysia's foreign minister says his country will not accept foreign interference over what he calls Mr Anwar's ""free and fair trial"". In response, Zama Coursen-Neff, from the United States based group, Human Rights Watch, says the Malaysian Government used selective laws against Anwar Ibrahim. ""There are very broad laws that allow for selective application against the opposition,"" he said. ""They give a great deal of descretion to the ruling party to apply those, only those, who criticise them. ""That means that the Opposition in Malaysia is constantly vulnerable to arrest and prosecution from making states that are critical of the Government and these very wide laws, such as the internal security act and the sedition act and the official secrets act."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" There is no end in sight for a dispute involving Victoria's nurses which has closed hospital beds throughout the state. Hours of talks in the Industrial Relations Commission yesterday failed to resolve the dispute; negotiations will resume tomorrow. Nurses are seeking a 24 per cent pay rise over three years, a claim the Government considers excessive. Belinda Morrison from the Australian Nursing Federation says she is pleased discussions are continuing but says work bans will continue to affect public hospitals. ""I think that the nurses are continuing to admit the emergency patients and there's probably going to remain approximately 900 beds closed,"" Ms Morrison said. ""I think it will primarily be elective surgery which is hit with the bans, because all the emergencies will continue to be admitted."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A Federal Court judge has found the Commonwealth did not abuse its powers in removing two mixed-race Aboriginal children from their families more than four decades ago. Justice Maurice O'Loughlin has dismissed the landmark compensation case against the Commonwealth, brought by members of the Northern Territory Stolen Generations. Justice O'Loughlin accepted the evidence of Lorna Cubillo, who was removed to the Retta Dixon home in Darwin, that she was assaulted by staff and starved of affection. He also accepted that Peter Gunner, who was taken to Alice Springs, was the victim of sexual assault. But Justice O'Loughlin found that because there was a lack of evidence in Mrs Cubillo's case, he could not rule the Commonwealth had failed to carry out its duty. In Mr Gunner's case, the evidence showed the removal had been authorised as his mother's thumbprint was found on a form of request that asked that Peter be taken and given a Western education."

" The National Sorry Day committee has called for a mediation commission to help members of the Stolen Generations as an alternative to the courts. Co-chair Audrey Kinnear Ngingali says while today's Federal Court case was lost, the courts may still be an option for those seeking compensation. ""We're not going to stop here,"" she said. ""It gives a future direction that documentation and documented evidence is important to the case. ""I'm aware of one such case that exists where a child was taken from the hospital without the mother's consent and there's documentation from both sides, so justice will come."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Fiji's coup leader George Speight and 14 others have been charged with treason and conspiracy to commit treason. All have been remanded in custody till August 25. The charges relate to the military takeover of Fiji's Parliament on the May 19 and other events stretching into July. George Speight and his fellow accused were brought to the Suva Magistrates Court very late in the day. They had hopes of winning bail but that sentiment was quickly dashed with the prosecution introducing three new charges. Those of treason, conspiracy to commit treason and being accessories to treason. The treason charge in theory carries the death penalty and the other charges have a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Bail for Speight and his colleagues was denied. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Sydney Olympic organising committee says the prices for food and drink items at Games venues have the approval of the competition and consumer commission. Organisers have given many reasons for the higher than normal prices announced today. Standard sandwiches will cost up to $5, hot dogs $4.50, and a 600 ml bottle of soft drink up to $3.80. The Games organisers say those prices are lower than what caterers wanted to charge. The committee's catering manager, Hugh Taylor, says the prices are often equivalent to prices at other events, including the football finals. He says catering during the Olympics brings extra costs, an increased wages bill, supply costs because of special delivery arrangements between midnight and 6:00am only and also the provision of marquees. Spectators have the option to bring in a small amount of food and drink to venues though. ____________________________________________________________________"

" A Federal Court judge will deliver his decision in Darwin today on the Stolen Generations compensation test case against the Commonwealth. The decision will have implications for the Northern Territory's 700 members of the Stolen Generations and their families. Lorna Cubillo and Peter Gunner were separated from their families and placed in institutions under the Commonwealth's Aboriginal Ordinance put in place in 1918 and existing for almost 40 years. In a ruling last year against a Commonwealth application to have the case struck out, Justice Maurice O'Loughlin said the case was of such importance to the individuals, the larger Aboriginal community and the nation, that nothing short of a determination on the case's merits was warranted. The two applicants are seeking compensation for loss of family and culture. The Commonwealth argued no children were removed without good reason. The case took more than 100 days to hear, with Justice O'Loughlin taking submissions in the Northern Territory, Perth, Townsville, Adelaide and Melbourne. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Northern Territory's Coroner today will examine the body of a Darwin-based soldier, accidentally shot and killed in East Timor on Wednesday. The Defence Force will hold a memorial service for 27-year-old Corporal Stuart Jones in Darwin next week. The body of Corporal Jones arrived in Darwin last night, and was met by 400 defence personnel and his brother, who had flown in from Queensland. His regiment formed a guard of honour as his coffin was carried off a Hercules aircraft. An investigating officer has been appointed to head an inquiry into the death, which occurred after a rifle in the back of an armoured vehicle accidentally discharged, near the border with West Timor. Corporal Jones was originally from Victoria. His funeral will be held next week along with a military memorial service. -------------------------------------------------------------------- -"

" A sea search is resuming off the coast south of Mackay in north Queensland for a man and his three children, who are thought to have disappeared while on a camping trip. Mark Joseph McDonald, 37, and his children, Brett, 5, Brian 3, and Jade 2, were last seen hiring a fishing boat in Mackay on Wednesday. The boat was found drifting off Mackay yesterday morning with clothes, a baby's bottle and camping gear aboard. A hired utility truck and boat trailer were located at Campwin Beach near Sarina. Inspector Tony Wright says police hold grave fears for the family, but have not ruled out that Mr McDonald may have abandoned the boat and left the area. ""There are a number of avenues of inquiry that we are following up we are conducting a search,"" he said. ""We have had the CQ rescue helicopter out there, air sea rescue vessel and police vessels, searching the area. ""We are also conducting inquiries with public transport, the buses, trains and rent-a-cars as well in case he may have left the area."" Central Queensland crime co-ordinator, Inspector Russell Jenke, says a massive land, air and sea search has resumed. ""SES [State Emergency Service] members will be assisting with the search down at Sarina doing the shoreline where the vehicle and boat trailer were located,"" he said. ""That's propbably the main focus area for the search, that area around there and directly out to sea."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Solomon Islands cease-fire monitoring council is due to meet today hoping to keep peace initiatives alive. The cease-fire in the country's ethnic conflict has been breached twice in the past 48 hours. The Malaita Eagle Force launched an offensive into rival Isatabu Freedom Movement territory west of Honiara yesterday. It used a stolen bulldozer, which has been converted into a tank, and Eagle Force troops set fire to houses in the area. This is a clear breach of the six-day-old cease-fire. But the Eagle Force says it is in retaliation for an earlier breach, the killing of one of its members by sniper fire on Tuesday. The cease-fire monitoring council will meet Isatabu leaders today, hoping to get a renewed commitment to the agreement. Council chairman Sir Peter Kenilorea has appealed to both sides to exercise restraint in the coming days. Sir Peter says both sides should allow time for the breaches to be investigated. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Analysts will watch the latest employment figures, out today, for any signs of GST spin-offs. Employment is expected to have grown moderately last month, with the jobless rate steady at 6.6 per cent. But analysts are mindful of a likely post-GST retail slow-down in July and the emerging slowdown in the building sector, as shown by yesterday's 14 per cent slump in housing financing for June. Macquarie Bank senior economist Richard Gibbs says, after raising interest rates again last week, the Reserve Bank will be watching the numbers closely, as it treads the line between holding back inflation and maintaining growth and employment. ""To the extent to which we see fallout in a sector of the economy, be it the building sector or retail trade or whatever, and that then reverberates through into the employment environment for the economy, well then that is a concern in that balancing of those objectives,"" he said. The Reserve Bank Governor, Ian McFarlane, will make a public speech in Brisbane later today. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The ceasefire in Solomon Islands appears to have collapsed, following a limited offensive by the Malaita Eagle Force (MEF) today. The offensive was apparently in retaliation for an attack on MEF troops yesterday. The Eagle Force used a stolen, armour-plated bulldozer to advance through the Kakabona area, west of the capital, Honiara. They set fire to houses in villages and there were several exchanges of gunfire and one Eagle Force member was wounded. Today's offensive follows an attack on a Malaitan patrol in the area yesterday, in which one man was shot dead. Yesterday's attack and today's offensive are both flagrant breaches of a ceasefire which came into force on Saturday. The Solomon Islands ceasefire monitoring council is due to meet tomorrow to try to resolve the situation. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister has strongly supported the involvement of one of his senior staff member's with a nursing home in Canberra. Mr Howard's chief of staff, Arthur Sinodinos, is a voluntary board member for the St Nicholas Home for the Aged in Canberra, although he intends to step down when his term ends next month. The Opposition claims Mr Sinodinos has a conflict of interest and is in breach of the code of conduct for the Prime Minister's staff. A recent audit criticised the home for not meeting standards in all 35 categories. But Mr Howard has defended his staff member, saying the matter was disclosed when Mr Sinodinos was appointed to his office. ""I applaud him for doing it and I encourage my staff to do good works,"" Mr Howard said. ""I want more people on my staff to engage themselves in charitable activities and I just think it's incredible a person who's prepared to give of his time to help the elderly, to do charity work, is attacked."" Shadow Aged Care Minister Chris Evans says Mr Sinodinos must resign from Mr Howard's office. ""He's been directly involved in a group that receives Commonwealth funds, that lobbies the Commonwealth, that is affected by decisions with which he is involved,"" he said. ""It's a clear breach of those [prime ministerial] guidelines. ""It seems the Prime Minister is unwilling to enforce the standards that he himself has set."" Mr Sinodinos says he has never used his position to advantage the home. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A group of Muslim parties say President Abdurrahman Wahid is the cause of his country's woes. The group delivered a scathing assessment of Mr Wahid's first nine months in office. ""The problems lie at the level of the president himself. The president is the cause of almost all the problems engulfing the nation,"" said Murdiati Akmal of the Muslim-based Reform faction. The criticism came as the 700 member assembly's eleven factions were one by one delivering their assessments of a progress report delivered by Wahid, himself a respected Muslim scholar, to the assembly on Monday. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" The president of the Australian section of the International Commission of Jurists, Justice John Dowd, has attacked the sentence given to former Malaysian deputy prime minister Anwar Ibrahim. The Malaysian High Court handed out a nine year sentence for a sodomy conviction which is to be added to an earlier six year term he received for political corruption. Justice Dowd has expressed his surprise and dismay that any court could have convicted anyone on the evidence put forward during Anwar's trial. ""This was a very political decision and very difficult to see how any judge anywhere in the world could have come to this decision on the evidence,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The clean-up continues this morning after a severe storm swept across regional Victoria and parts of Melbourne. Sunbury, north-west of Melbourne, was worst hit. The storm struck just after dark last night, cutting power to thousands of homes, damaging buildings and causing flash flooding on roads. It was a busy night for State Emergency Service volunteers, particularly in Sunbury, where what is described as a mini tornado tore the roof from a basketball stadium. Linda, who lives close by, says the damage is extensive. ""The back wall has just been peeled away and the roof's missing as well,"" she said. Ambulance officer Michael Donnard was on the highway when the storm struck. ""[It]looked just like a cyclone, a mini tornado. There was a dark cloud over Sunbury, a little funnel coming down from underneath it,"" he said. ""It really did look like something out of the movies."" The storm also brought down power lines, while a block of flats in South Yarra was damaged by lightning. No injuries have been reported."

" Malaysia's one time deputy Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has been found guilty of sodomy. The court has been considering what sentence it will apply and Anwar was given a chance today to make a mitigating statement. The judge called a further adjournment after he came under attack by the former minister. Anwar told the court his case had long ago ceased to be a legal matter, but a political issue. He told the judge the verdict was sick and he too was a sick judge. Anwar who was sentenced to six years in jail last year after being found guilty of abuse of power, is facing a further 20 years in jail. Police have maintained a strong presence outside the court. Earlier, they arrested an opposition leader who had come to the court to show his support for Anwar. ___________________________________________________________________"

" One Nation leader Pauline Hanson says she is half-way towards paying her $500,000 debt to the Queensland Electoral Commission. Miss Hanson yesterday handed over a cheque for $250,000, part of the money she has to repay, after the commission found One Nation fraudulently registered for the 1998 State election. Miss Hanson says she is confident of raising the rest, before the December 31 deadline. ""We've got a few months now to actually try to raise the balance of the money, that's been about $252,000, plus I've got legal costs of about $150,000 to raise to pay the balance by the end of the year,"" Miss Hanson said. ""It's been a big effort to do that but I'm just so appreciative of the Australian people who've got behind me, to support me, with this."" ___________________________________________________________________"

" The proprietors of The Daily Telegraph newspaper and the ABC have been ordered to pay $250,000 in damages after repeating allegations of corruption within the kangaroo meat industry. A judgment late last year found both media organisations defamed Sydney-based meat processing company Vacik Distributors and its owner Victor Bates when reporting on attempts to ban the book, Smuggled Two. The book by Melbourne author, Raymond Hosier, contained allegations that Mr Vacik and Mr Bates were corruptly involved in a wildlife trafficking trade with National Parks and Wildlife officers. Justice Sperling, in awarding the damages, says both the newspaper and ABC television news failed to make inquiries about the accuracy of the allegations and it was not a fair report of court proceedings to publish them. ___________________________________________________________________"

" US Vice-President Al Gore has selected Senator Joseph Lieberman to be his running mate for the Presidential elections. The move rounds out the Democratic ticket with the first Jewish vice presidential candidate in US history. The choice of the moderate Democrat and self-styled moral crusader is seen as an effort to win over independent voters and distance Gore from the moral controversy which surrounds President Bill Clinton. Senator Lieberman was the first prominent Democrat to openly criticise the President's conduct with former White House intern Monica Lewinsky. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Malaysia's human rights body says it will monitor any public gathering outside the High Court in Kuala Lumpur today for the handing down of the verdict in the sodomy trial of Anwar Ibrahim The Malaysian Human Rights Commission says it will observe the actions of both the public and the police. The commission says people have the right of peaceful assembly outside the court, while the Government says even peaceful protests will be banned. The judge in former deputy premier Anwar's year-long sodomy trial will deliver his verdict this morning. He faces up to 20-years in jail if convicted. Anwar is already serving a six-year jail term after being convicted of corruption. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Professor Alan Fels, says he will be monitoring the airfare price war that has broken out. Over the weekend, Impulse Airlines announced fares as low as $66 for the one way trips Sydney to Melbourne and Sydney to Canberra. Those fares are now being matched by major airlines. Professor Fels says the ACCC will be keeping a close eye on the way other airlines respond to the Impulse move. ""If there was misleading or deceptive conduct in the marketing, if they were making offers that were not real ones, if they were trying to divert customers away from Impulse with false advertising or misleading [advertising] that would of course raise issues under the Trade Practices Act,"" he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Indonesian police and soldiers have been issued with shoot-on-sight orders to ensure security for the annual meeting of the country's highest law makers which begins today. More than 30,000 troops and police have been deployed in the capital, Jakarta, to guard a parliamentary session that is expected to indicate the strength of President Abdurrahman Wahid's grip on power. Sharp shooters have been deployed to strategic locations around Jakarta and police and soldiers are geared up to stop rioting or street violence. President Wahid, the country's first democratically elected leader, will defend his record before 700 members of the People's Consultative Assembly. He is expected to face tough criticism on his performance during his first year in office for failing to end religious fighting in the Maluku Islands, for his handling of a weak coalition government and he will also be questioned about a number of financial scandals among his inner circle. It is unlikely there will be any moves to sack President Wahid. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australians have filled three of the top five placings in the $5.99 million PGA International golf tournament in Colorado. South Africa's Ernie Els took out hte tournament on 48 points under the modified stableford scoring system, winning by four points from Phil Mickelson. Stuart Appleby led in a trio of Australians with 41 points in third place, followed by Greg Norman, who was fourth on 38 points, and Craig Spence, who was fifth on 32 points. Greg Chalmers completed a good day for the Australians, sharing 11th. The modified systems awards two points for a birdie, none for a par and takes away points for shots over-par."

" The Royal Australian Air Force says its major training exercise Pitch Black is continuing normally, despite a mishap with a dummy-missile falling off an FA-18 Hornet in Darwin last night. An incident investigation team has arrived from Canberra to examine the crash scene and aircraft, which has been grounded. Air Commodore Dave Dunlop says he is not sure how long the investigation will take. ""At this stage, that's up to the investigation team and we will continue the investigation until we get to the bottom of this,"" Commodore Dunlop said. Defence Minister John Moore says the Air Force will remove missile cannisters from all its FA-18 fighters until it is determined how a dummy missile was accidentally dropped last night. Mr Moore, who is in East Timor visiting Australian troops, says the hornet involved in the incident has been isolated for investigation. ""I've spoken with the chief of air force and the cannisters will be taken off the FA-18s until they're further investigated,"" Mr Moore said. ""As to what really happened, in a mechanical sense, it's unfortunate but these things can happen. ""The good thing about it is that it didn't really cause any great damage except to a couple of material matters."" ---------------------------------------"

" The makers of Children's Panadol baby drops have issued a voluntary recall of the product. Smith Klein Beecham says it is recalling the baby drops because of a defective dropper device, which has been found not to be tamper-proof. Spokesman Greg Husband says it is possible for a child to open the bottle after the dropper has been installed. The baby drops are not a prescription item but are only available from chemists. ------------------------------------"

" Darwin police say a dummy missile has fallen off a Royal Australian Air Force jet, crushing a car in a Darwin suburb. The jet was involved in the Pitch Black joint military exercises between Australian, Singaporean and British troops. The missile landed on a four-wheel-drive parked in a panel beaters in the industrial suburb of Berrima, destroying the front of the vehicle and damaging two others. No-one was injured in the incident. A police spokesman says it was a ""captive missile"", not explosive but instead carrying recording equipment. He says the RAAF has been to the scene to remove the missile. ----------------------------------"

" Big early losses have been transformed into solid gains among high tech stocks listed on the Nasdaq exchange in New York. The Nasdaq composite index has closed 101 points higher at 3,760, which is an overall improvement of 2.8 per cent. Initially the high tech indicator plunged around 3.75 per cent on profit worries, before climbing back. Activity has been more muted on the New York Stock Exchange. The Dow Jones industrial average has also made up lost ground to close up just 19 points at 10,707. Factory orders for US manufactured goods has jumped 5.5 per cent in June. Although expected, it is the biggest monthly rise in more than nine years. Durable goods orders are up 9.7 per cent, underpinned by demand for aircraft. The all-important non-farm payroll figures will be released today with the strength of employment seen as possibly dictating the Federal Reserve's next move on interest rates. The US bond market is a little weaker. The softer prices have pushed up the yield on 30-year Treasury paper to 5.74 per cent, which is a rise of almost two points. In Britain, investors were rattled by the early losses in New York, with the London's FT-100 index falling 74 points to 6,317. Yesterday in Australia, there was very limited headway. The All Ordinaries index ended 3.5 points higher at 3,236. At 7.00am AEST, the Share Price Index contract was up five points on yesterday's day settlement at 3,303. The 10-year bond contract is up 3.5 points at 93.84, with the implied yield easing to 6.16 per cent. The dollar is unchanged on yesterday's local close, sitting at 58.60 US cents. On the cross-rates, it is at 0.6462 euros, 63.50 Japanese yen, 39.13 pence sterling, and against the New Zealand dollar, it is at 1.283. Gold price is at $US274.00 an ounce and West Texas crude oil is $US28.83 a barrel. -------------------------------"

" George W. Bush, the Republican hoping to be the next president of the United States, will today put his case to the American people. Mr Bush is to accept his party's nomination for president in a speech aired on prime time television. Today he takes the stage at the Republican national convention with the aim of proving to Americans he has what it takes to be president of the United States. Mr Bush is expected to follow the lead of his running mate, Dick Chaney, who says it is time to evict the Clintons from the White House. ""Let us go forth from the hall in confidence and courage, committed to restoring decency and honour to our republic,"" he said. ""Let us go forth knowing that our cause is just."" Until now most Americans have paid little attention to the race for the presidency, and the Republicans hope Mr Bush's speech will change that. ----------------------------------"

" The chairman of the Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) says he is not planning to subject commercial television stations to the same scrutiny as the radio industry. The ABA's final report on the inquiry into the ""Cash for Comment"" scandal recommends new standards of disclosure of sponsorship and advertising on radio stations. After a $1 million inquiry spanning four states, the ABA concluded there was a systemic failure of self-regulation in the radio industry. It is proposing to impose new standards on stations and has called for increased powers to sanction breaches. In light of the problems revealed in the radio industry, the Communication Law Centre in Sydney, which participated in the inquiry, says it would be prudent for the ABA to turn its eyes to commercial television broadcasters. But chairman David Flint says he has no such plans. ""I think there are lessons to be learned from this inquiry for the whole media, but at the present time there's no intention to commence an investigation into television,"" he said. ---------------------------------"

" Federal Opposition leader Kim Beazley will today outline his vision for the health system under a Labor government, on the final day of the ALP's national conference in Hobart. Health is a central theme of the conference, which has also focused on jobs and education. Mr Beazley has already announced Labor would change the way Commonwealth and state health money is spent, and today he will make further announcements on the plan, including Labor's initiatives for rural areas. The conference will also debate defence, diplomatic and foreign aid policy platforms, emphasising the need for self-reliance in Australia's security. Before closing, the ALP will move to implement new national membership rules for the ALP to end branch-stacking. ---------------------------------"

" The AFL career of Fremantle veteran Dale Kickett is in doubt after he received a nine-match suspension last night at the tribunal. Kickett was found guilty of three striking charges while other charges against him - attempting to strike, wrestling and melee - were withdrawn. Kickett accused the media of persecution last night before receiving his suspension from the tribunal. In other cases, the Dockers' Brad Dodd and West Coast pair Michael Gardiner and Phil Read were banned for two matches following Sunday's spiteful game at Subiaco Oval. Also, three Eagles' and seven Dockers' players were fined a total of $28,500 for their involvement in a melee, while $20,000 in fines was handed out from the Melbourne versus Geelong clash. So far, the AFL tribunal has imposed more than $84,000 in fines from last weekend's matches, with more charges to be heard today. ----------------------------------"

" Australians will soon be able to take their pets to Britain without having to place them in quarantine for six months. The British Government has announced that it will extend its ""pet passport"" scheme to Australia and New Zealand. The pet passport trial was launched in February this year, with 22 western European countries being certified as rabies-free. Under the scheme, pets are vaccinated against the disease, and a tiny microchip is placed under their skin. The pets then avoid an expensive and often traumatic six months in quarantine on their arrival in Britain. The British Government has now decided to extend the program to Australia and New Zealand as of next year, despite the British Vetinary Association expressing concern that the scheme has yet to be properly evaluated. --------------------------------"

" Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak has suffered another blow with the resignation of his foreign minister, David Levy. Mr Barak's Government will now go to a parliamentary recess barely clinging to power. Mr Levy's resignation had been anticipated since the eve of the Camp David summit when he told the Prime Minister he would not join the peace talks. The foreign minister's departure makes it even more likely that the Israeli Parliament will vote for early elections. But Prime Minister Ehud Barak's Government will tonight have stumbled to a parliamentary recess delaying the effect of an early election spill and giving him three months breathing space in which to assemble a new coalition or seal a peace deal with the Palestinians. Many in the Government believe that it is their best chance of winning an election, which they see as imminent regardless of today's vote. ____________________________________________________________________"

" A psychiatrist who shot a male prostitute in the chest after an argument over sex has been struck off the medical register. Dr Roderick Doyle Motum was convicted in January of malicious wounding. In 1997, Mr Motum picked up a male prostitute in Darlinghurst and after sex got into an argument with him over payment. He then shot the man after he got out of his car in Marrickville, hitting him in the chest but only causing minor injuries. The psychiatrist was then seen in the process of disposing of his revolver by his next door neighbour in Concord, whom he later harrassed by telephone. On the basis of the conviction and evidence Dr Motum suffers from anxiety, depression and paranoid personality traits, the medical tribunal of New South Wales has struck his name from the register of practitioners for at least three years. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Fiji Trade Union Movement is organising a nationwide strike today as it and a coalition of non-government organisations demand a quick return to democracy. The Fijian Government has warned public servants they will lose a day's pay if they do not turn up for work. In what they are calling a national day of protest, union leaders in both the public and private sectors are hoping to bring Fiji to a standstill. Other groups, including the Employers Federation, say they are recognising today as a national day for law and order, peace and democracy. The Fiji National Council of Women has organised a vigil for reconciliation and peace in the capital, but the new unelected civilian administration is ignoring the protests. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Security forces are on alert across Zimbabwe as thousands of workers strike today to protest against the political situation in the country. Zimbabwe's Congress of Trade Unions says the national stoppage is a warning. The union movement claims workers will walk off the job again if the Zimbabwean Government does not take notice. But the Government and business groups say the strike will harm the nation's fragile economy. Some Government departments are threatening to record the names of public servants who do not report for work today. But the unions, the Zimbabwean Opposition and the Commercial Farmers Union are continuing to endorse the strike. The leader of the main opposition party, Morgan Tsvangirai, says the stoppage is justified. Mr Tsvangirai says it is a protest against ongoing political violence and intimidation. The union movement now says the strike will only last for one day instead of three days as originally planned. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" However the Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, has urged Mr Howard to consult him over the Commonwealth's decision to give states a free hand in legislating to deny IVF treatment to single women and lesbians. Mr Bracks says the Federal Government did not talk to him or Victorian officials before the announcement, which he claims was deliberately timed to coincide with the ALP National Conference. He says the Victorian Government will wait to see whether the federal legislation passes through Parliament, before determining what he would have to do to fix the State laws. ""As a responsible State Government, I'll wait and look at that legislation before making a judgment,"" Mr Bracks said. ""But I stress that in Victoria we want the Act upheld. ""That has been our position. ""The court case has changed that, I'll live with the court case, and live with the spirit of it, and that is that IVF will be available under guidelines for infertile women, not for those who choose it as a lifestyle."""

" The Gay and Lesbian movement in Western Australia has urged single and lesbian women to challenge the Federal Government's move. WA spokeswoman for Gay and Lesbian Equality, Louise Pratt, says she is outraged, and says the Federal Government's legislation is archaic and discriminatory. She is encouraging single and gay women to challenge the existing laws and fight for equal rights to have children. ""I would think that we would have to have a challenge come from women in Western Australia, whether it's a single woman or a lesbian,"" Ms Pratt said. ""But there are certainly people who have been refused access to these services in WA that are considering such a challenge."" ___________________________________________________________________"

" X-rays of five sharks taken at the Royal Darwin Hospital today will be sent to an expert in Hobart, to determine whether the sharks belong to previously unidentified species. The sharks, caught by Northern Territory Museum scientists in Kakadu National Park, are thought to represent two species of the rare spear-tooth shark The Museum's Barry Russell says initial indications from the x-rays are that they are two new species to Australia. ""We've still got some more examination of the specimans to undertake,"" Mr Russell said. ""We will then send off the results of our preliminary examination to Dr Peter Last in Hobart at CSIRO and work with him in preparing some descriptions of the species."" ___________________________________________________________________"

" The Federal Transport Minister, John Anderson, has called officers from Airservices Australia and his department to Canberra for a meeting on the blackout at Sydney airport. Mr Anderson says he is seeking a full explanation on this morning's events at the 5:00pm meeting and they will be doing what is necessary to get things right at the airport. The Minister says back-up generators swung into action as they should have, but were unable to deliver the power needed to run all of the consoles properly. ""Particularly with the Olympics coming up, I just seek to reassure people that I'll be talking with Airservices and to my department,"" he said. ""I expect them to be able to offer me very solid reassurances indeed on the mechanisms they're putting in place to ensure that we do not continue to suffer from these sorts of glitches."" ___________________________________________________________________"

" The Reserve Bank board meets today amid heightened speculation about Australian interest rates. Wage and inflation figures last week are seen as putting pressure on monetary policy. Average weekly earnings have hit the central bank's danger level, rising 4.5 per cent in the year to May, while inflation is nominally above the bank's 2 per cent to 3 per cent target band. Economists also see pressure coming from a tightening labour market, a weak dollar, recovering consumer confidence and the economic shots in the arm from tax cuts, the Olympics and the sharemarket float of the NRMA. Although still generally regarded as unlikely, any decision today to raise interest rates would not be known until tomorrow morning at the earliest. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Petrol prices will rise by 0.6 of a cent a litre today in line with the half-yearly increase in federal excise linked to inflation. Motoring groups are calling on the Federal Government to scrap the indexation of petrol tax, which takes effect effect in accordance with legislation that was passed almost 17 years ago by the then Labor Government. The motoring groups say the adjustments are a con and should be abolished following the introduction of the goods and services tax. David Cumming from the Royal Automobile Club of Victoria, says motorists are paying much more in petrol tax. ""Basically, under the guise of a GST, the Federal Government has increased its tax base by 2.9 cents since the July 1, and on top of that GST occurs,"" he said. ""So June 30 this year you were paying 44 cents per litre tax, today when you wake up you'll be paying 46.8 cents a litre tax, and the indexation of petrol should cease. ""I think once this con is exposed the motoring public will be very annoyed."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Federal Cabinet will review Australia's sanctions against Fiji tomorrow. The Prime Minister, John Howard, has not ruled out tougher action against the military regime in Suva. Mr Howard this morning held talks with the deposed Fijian Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry. ""He remains in Australia for a number of days as a very welcome guest of the Australian Government,"" Mr Howard said. Mr Howard defended Australia's sanctions against Fiji, describing them as ""right"". They will be reviewed at a Cabinet meeting in Canberra tomorrow. ""They will not be rolled back, but they'll be kept very much in place and we think they are right,"" Mr Howard said. Mahendra Chaudhry is due to undergo a thorough medical examination before he returns to Fiji, he says he is still feeling weak. ""I've been advised to undergo a very thorough medical examination and that's what I intend to do,"" Mr Chaudhry said."

" Meanwhile, Mr Chaudhry has suggested the United Nations be called in to help restore law and order in the country. Mr Chaudhry described today's discussions as fruitful. ""I am thankful for the measures that the Australian Government has taken against the regime in Fiji,"" Mr Chaudhry said. ""If the regime there is unable to do so then it should itself seek assistance. ""Maybe the United Nations would be the right body to approach in this regard and they can work the details out."" He says the number one priority at the moment is the restoration of law and order."

" An Iraqi detainee has told of poor conditions, hunger strikes and suicide attempts at the Curtin Detention Centre in the Kimberley. The man is on trial in Broome Magistrates Court charged with inciting the break-out of more than 300 detainees from Curtin in June. Munjed Al Muderis, a 28-year-old surgeon from Baghdad, arrived at Curtin in October last year. He said it was five months before he was able to contact a lawyer, and the only contact with his family was through a fax prepared by immigration authorities. He says the isolation led to growing frustration in the camp. The court was told so far there had been more than 30 suicide attempts. Muderis says for weeks detainees were fed only minced meat and macaroni, and had limited access to cold water. He says the food was only changed after a hunger strike in February, which involved about 800 people. Two public telephones were also installed at the centre after the hunger strike."

" Sydney radio broadcaster Alan Jones has been ordered to apologise to the Aboriginal people of New South Wales for comments he made on his breakfast program in November 1995. The 2UE announcer was accused of showing serious contempt for Aboriginal people. The complaint to the Equal Opportunity Tribunal followed on-air comments by Mr Jones on an anti-discrimination decision concerning an Aboriginal woman who had been attempting to rent a house in Dubbo, in the State's west. Mr Jones said if he owned the only rental property on an estate agent's list and a person came in smelling and looking like a skunk, with a sardine can on one foot, and half a bottle of beer under the arm wanting to rent it, he would expect the agent to say no, without giving reasons. Mr Jones has been ordered to apologise on his radio program and via letter to the Western Aboriginal Legal Service within 28 days."

" French experts investigating last week's Concorde air crash near Paris say they have found part of its fuel tank on the take-off runway. They also say the flames coming from the Air France plane were most likely from leaking fuel, and not from an engine. The investigators are now a step closer to working out why the Air France Concorde burst into flame so suddenly. Their preliminary investigations show the fire originated in the fuel tank, rather than in an engine as was originally thought. Fuel apparently poured out of a leak in the tank and appears to have been ignited by the massive amount of heat generated by the Concorde's engines during take-off. The findings support the theory that the fuel tank may have been punctured by a fragment of the Concorde's wheel after a tyre burst as the plane was hurtling along the runway. British Airways pulled a Concorde out of service last night due to what was described as a refuelling problem, although the airline said it was not related to the cause of the Paris crash. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Israeli and Palestinian negotiators say they will continue efforts to forge a peace deal following their first meeting since the breakdown last week of the US-brokered Middle East summit. But the resumption of negotiations, which focused on matters the two sides largely agree on, has been overshadowed by Israel's political crisis. Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak faces a no confidence vote in Parliament today, as well as another defection from his government. Prime Minister Barak has been in minority government since three parties quit his coalition on the eve of the camp David talks. Now Israeli Foreign Minister David Levy has announced he will resign on Wednesday unless Mr Barak moves towards a unity government that includes the opposition Likud party. Mr Barak faces a parliamentary no-confidence vote that is seen as a ballot on his approach to the peace negotiations. Meanwhile, after months of delays United Nations forces have deployed along the length of the Israel-Lebanon border. The multinational force only took position after a series of border disputes and local confrontations. More than two months after Israel ended its two decades of occupation of south Lebanon, United Nations soldiers from Ghana, Sweden, Ireland and Nepal have finally moved in to secure the border zone. Lebanon refused to authorise the movement of UN forces into the area for months after the withdrawal because of Israeli encroachments over the Lebanese frontier. This allowed a series of potentially dangerous incidents to develop between stone throwing demonstrators on the Lebanese side and Israeli soldiers, who responded with gunfire a number of times. But the final obstacle came today when Hezbollah militia blocked Nepalese soldiers, but after intervention by a Lebanese Government official, the UN officers were allowed to take up their positions. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The United Nations Human Rights Committee says the Australian Government has an obligation to force the states to re-assess their mandatory sentencing legislation. The UN's Human Rights Committee says it believes the mandatory sentencing legislation in place in Western Australia and the Northern Territory raises serious issues of compliance with various articles in the covenant of political and civil rights to which Australia is a signatory. The committee's chairwoman says the Federal Government has an obligation to ensure that the states comply. ""We reminded Australia that under Article 50, the obligation was for the Federal Government, or for the federal state to see to it that the covenant rights were respected in every place,"" she said. The committee also says it is concerned that the 1998 changes to the Native Title Act limits the rights of indigenous persons in communities and affects their interests in native title land, particularly pastoral lands. Meanwhile, Australian and international human rights groups have called for federal action to get rid of mandatory sentencing. Australian Human Rights commissioner Bill Jonas, who gave evidence before the committee, says that it is time the Federal Government fulfilled its treaty obligations and overrode the mandatory sentencing laws. It is a sentiment that was echoed by Amnesty International's Hein Sherman. Amnesty has also appealed to the Federal Government to reconsider its decision to review its cooperation with such UN committees. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Fiji's detained coup leader George Speight and his fellow conspirators have reportedly been moved to two small islands off the coast. Mr Speight, Ilisoni Ligairi, Joe Nata and several others had been held at Queen Elizabeth Barracks since their arrest on Wednesday night amid fears they were plotting civil war. A military spokesman says they have now been moved to Nukulau, a former quarantine station and popular picnic island, about 10 kilometres east of Suva. Supporters have also been shipped to the neighbouring island of Makuluva, with both islands being decreed prohibited areas. The spokesman has told the Fiji Broadcasting Commission, the dawn operation was carried out for the safety, security and comfort of the prisoners. He says it is too early to say when they will face court. Meanwhile, the only part-European Minister in Fiji's new Government says he has already been threatened by Mr Speight's supporters. The Minister for Public Sector Reform, Hector Hatch, says he has no illusions about the difficulties facing the new Government and is ready for a backlash from Mr Speight's supporters still at large. ""There is a threat and I'd be worried. I don't think it's a personal worry. It's a worry about our country and the things that are happening in it,"" Mr Hatch said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The United States Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, has described the highest level talks so far between the US and North Korea as historic. But she has also admitted that North Korea's recent suggestion that it might give up its missile program has not been clarified. North Korea's offer to give up its missile program in return for access to space technology was the number one item on her agenda at the landmark talks. The offer was made during a meeting in Pyongyang with Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this month. Dr Albright hailed the landmark talks with her North Korean counterpart, Paek Nam-sun but said they provided no new details on the offer. The first talks between the two nations in 50 years had been labelled as a further sign that the isolationist state is continuing to reach out to the rest of the world. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's two-time 400 metres world champion Cathy Freeman has won the event at the Golden League meeting in Oslo. Freeman won in a time of 50.74sec to beat Suziann Reid and Monique Hennagan of the United States. Freeman, 27, has been in Europe for the past six weeks training for the September Olympics. Double Olympic bronze medallist Ato Boldon, of Trinidad, showed he is aiming for gold at the Games with easy wins in the 100 and 200m sprints. Boldon, who sat out last year's world championships with a leg injury, showed he is back on track by winning the 100m in 10 seconds flat and the 200m in 20.26sec. Australia's Matt Shirvington finished .56sec behind Boldon in the 200m. Norway's Trine Solberg-Hattestad was the star of the night breaking her world women's javelin record for the second time in a month. The 1993 and 1997 world champion, and 1994 European champion threw 69.48m. The 34-year-old Atlanta bronze medallist is now a strong favourite to win the gold medal at the Sydney Games. Gail Devers, denied a chance to defend her Olympic 100m title after finishing out of the top three places in the US trials, won the 100m hurdles."

" A final decision is expected today on labelling rules for genetically modified foods. Health Ministers from Australia and New Zealand are meeting in Wellington. State and territory ministers agreed last year to a strict labelling system that would identify food with a GM content of more than 0.1 per cent. But the Federal Government is pushing for labels only if there is more than 1 per cent in the product. Most of the states appear to still favour of the tougher rules. Despite the differing views, the Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Grant Tambling, says he is confident of a final resolution today. ""I would hope that we can talk the issue through and reach a position that is acceptable to all governments in Australia and New Zealand,"" he said. ""I think all ministers are certainly aware that... a very high standard information is probably the most important issue to be addressed, but at the same time there are also very imprtant impliations for health for assessment, scientific matters and trade issues."""

" A militia group in Solomon Islands has denied responsibility for yesterday's hijacking of a Japanese fishing boat. The boat was hijacked in Western Province and the crew was forced to take three armed men to Honiara. The men claimed to be members of the Malaita Eagle Force and said their lives were in danger, but the Malaita Eagle Force denies its members were involved. Solomon Islands police are investigating the incident, which could be linked to a series of robberies in Western Province in recent days. Meanwhile, there has been no announcement yet on whether cease-fire negotiations between the militias will resume today as planned."

" The military in Fiji has killed at least one supporter of coup leader George Speight in a crackdown that has resulted in the arrest of Speight and some of his key supporters. The military is warning that it will hold Mr Speight responsible for any violence that is linked to his detention. This morning, the military shot one man dead and wounded about 30 others when it raided a school just outside Suva where George Speight's supporters have set up their headquarters. Among those reportedly detained in this morning's operation is the ex-British SAS colonel, Illisoni Ligairi, who provided Speight with military expertise and advice during the coup. One radio report from Suva says one soldier was wounded in this morning's exchanges. The operation began last night with the arrest at a military roadblock of Mr Speight, his bodyguards and media advisor, Jo Nata. The military claims threats had been made against the President Josefa Iloilo's life, and the army says it is prepared for a backlash. Australian Foreign Minister Alexander has congratulated the Fijian military on its arrest of Mr Speight. ""George Speight committed an act of terror in seizing the prime minister and the cabinet of Fiji,"" he said. ""He's a man who we would regard by any standards as a criminal, and he should be detained...I hope he's not released."" ---------------------------------"

" Air France has revealed that one of the engines on the Concorde jet which crashed yesterday, was repaired just before the fatal flight. The same engine was seen burning during take-off. Air France says that seconds before the Concorde crashed, the pilot had reported failure in an engine that had been repaired just before take-off. The plane came down just minutes after leaving the runway, killing 113 people. According to the first transcripts of the black box flight recorders, the pilot was no longer able to brake given the force of the take-off thrust. Air France spokesman Francois Brousse says the plane's captain had ordered engineers to repair a fault in the airliner's second engine shortly before take-off, something that he said was not unusual. ""If the crew has any doubts or any even hint of an eventual problem, this kind of technical intervention is practically automatic,"" he said. As the investigations continue, relatives of those killed in the crash have been arriving in Paris to identify the bodies of family members. Emergency crews are still clearing the debris at the scene and the charred remains of the bodies of 55 of the victims have now been transferred to a makeshift mortuary at a medical-legal institute in Paris. British Airways suspended its flights after the crash, but normal Concorde services across the Atlantic have now resumed. ------------------------------------"

" More than 250 people are expected at a memorial service in Switzerland later today, to mark the anniversary of the canyoning disaster that killed 14 young Australians. In July last year 21 people died after a flash flood burst through the Saxeten River near the Swiss Alpine resort of Interlaken. Australia's consul in Geneva says the families of Perth victim Glynn Harries, RAAF officer John Flynn and New South Wales man Bradley Dewar are among those who will be at the ceremony. Kelly Swanson-Roe, a New Zealand woman who survived the disaster but lost her husband had also returned as had the fiancee of Australian victim Warwick Tout. After last year's disaster Swiss authorities set aside a park near the site as a permanent memorial to those who died. ---------------------------------"

" The world's number one female tennis player, Martina Hingis, says she will not be playing at the Sydney Olympics. The Swiss champion says she does not want to risk injury after the tough hardcourt season. The Olympic tennis tournament begins just a week after the finish of the US Open. ----------------------------------"

" Movements in world oil prices have helped push Australia's official inflation measure to its highest level since 1996. In the year to June, the consumer price index (CPI) has risen 3.2 per cent. That is nominally outside the Reserve Bank's target band of 2-3 per cent inflation. Car insurance, overseas holidays and fresh vegetables have been among the key contributors in the latest three months. But Federal Treasurer Peter Costello says the most telling factor has been petrol prices. ""Principally, the increase in the consumer price index was as a result of increased world oil prices, which have increased more than 60 per cent in US dollar terms over the year to June,"" he said. In Australia the increase in petrol price through the year to June of 2000 was around 22 per cent."" The Australian dollar has moved higher in the wake of the figures. Just before 2:00pm AEST, it was being quoted at around 58.70 US cents, up three-tenths of a cent. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Northern Territory's uranium miner, Energy Resources of the Australia (ERA), expects to increase production next year. ERA's parent company, North Limited, has released a target statement to the stock exchange in response to the takeover bid from Rio Tinto. The statement shows ERA is the world's third largest uranium producer, supplying about 9 per cent of the western world's uranium requirements. It also shows ERA expects to sell more than $200 million worth of uranium next year - up by $30 million on this year and last. The company says the rise will be because of increased production. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Federal Opposition Leader Kim Beazley says he has no problem with a proposal to locate a United States missile testing range off Western Australia's north-west coast. Mr Beazley says there have been discussions between the US and Australian navies on tactical missile defence for warships at sea and the proposal is one part of those plans. He says it is still early days but the plan is part of an ongoing co-operative program between America and Australia. Western Australian Premier Richard Court says he had no knowledge of a proposal to locate a United States missile testing range in the north west of the state. Mr Court unsuccessfully tried to obtain details of the project from the Federal Government this morning. The State is the favoured location to develop a joint US/Australian facility to launch missiles for warships to use as practice targets. The Premier believes Australia needs to escalate its defence presence in the region but not in conjunction with the United States. Mr Court says Australia should not be relying on foreign powers to meet its defence needs."

" Police are continuing to question two men in relation to the shooting murders of two police officers in Moorabbin in Melbourne's south-east. The major breakthrough in the investigation comes nearly two years after Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rod Miller were killed. Members of the Special Operations group carried out raids across Melbourne this morning, arresting two men, aged 47 and 19. They are now being questioned at the St Kilda Road police complex. Detective Inspector Paul Sheridan, who heads the Lorimer Taskforce investigating the murders, says the raids will continue until at least the end of the day."" ""The taskforce is also carrying out searches in some suburban residences in the areas of Cranbourne and Narre Warren,"" he said. Sergeant Gary Silk and Senior Constable Rodney Miller were shot in August 1998 while taking part in an undercover armed robbery operation. The Chief Commissioner, Neil Comrie, will not give anymore details of the arrests, but says today is a defining moment in the history of Victoria Police. ""This is the day we've been waiting for for two years,"" he said. The Silk and Miller families have released a joint statement, thanking detectives for their commitment to the case over the past two years."

" A senior Indian tax official has accused Indian cricket officials of taking part in match fixing. Vishwa Gupta has told Four Corners that an Indian cricketer is suspected of earning $US50 million from fixing matches. He is one of five Indian players under suspicion. Mr Gupta says entrenched corruption in Indian cricket could only have flourished if officials allowed it to happen. ""I think they are as corrupt and as criminal as those who are involved in match fixing,"" he said. ""I'm firmly of the view that no match fixing can take place without the connivance of the board officials, they're quite aware."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The names of the five people killed in yesterday's rescue helicopter crash in central Queensland have been released. The pilot who died in yesterday's crash has been identified as 59- year-old Vietnam veteran, Lieutenant Colonel Paul ""Paddy"" O'Brien, from the Darling Downs. Also on board were Anthony Sherry, aged 5 and his 30-year-old mother Susan from Yaraando Station, and paramedics Billy Birch and Craig Staines, both of Rockhampton. It has also been confirmed that the pilot has reported fuel problems just before the accident. Emergency Services Minister, Stephen Robertson, says he cannot comment on whether the helicopter may have been low on fuel, but can confirm the pilot made a radio distress call saying the helicopter was experiencing problems with fuel consumption. It had taken off from Rockhampton late on Sunday night and landed at Yaraando Station, almost 200 kilometres away to pick up Anthony Sherry, who was having breathing problems. On the return flight it became clear that Rockhampton was fogbound and arrangements were made to meet an ambulance vehicle at Marlborough, 100 kilometres north-west of the city. After having aborted a planned landing at the Marlborough school the helicopter crash landed in a paddock beside the Bruce Highway. The crash is now the subject of two inquiries, one involving police the other involving the Civil Aviation Safety Authority. The bodies of those killed in the crash have been taken to Rockhampton. The helicopter, a Bell 206L-3, was leased to the Capricorn rescue service by a company owned by Sunshine Coast businessman Grant Kenny. It is one of many throughout Australia owned by the company."

" The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park has been increased by more than 1,000 square kilometres, with 12 new areas added. The additions are scattered across the length of the reef, from the tip of Cape York to the coast off Bundaberg. Federal Environment Minister, Robert Hill, says the new areas include dugong and turtle habitats, seabird nesting colonies, and large coastal reef systems. He says six more areas are soon expected to be included in the marine park, and another 10 are being assessed for inclusion. Conservationists have praised the Federal Government move. Great Barrier Reef campaign manager for the World Wide Fund for Nature, Imogen Zethoven, says there is more to come. ""Well, we are very pleased that this has happened, it has been a long time coming, but we are very pleased that it has finally been put in place,"" she said. ""It's the first round, if you like, of new areas to be added to the marine park so we are eagerly awaiting the next round of areas to be included. ""There are 28 all up and this is the announcement of the first 12. ""The commitments from both State and the Commonwealth Governments was to include all 28 areas, so we hope that that is done in the next six to 12 months."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The New South Wales Opposition has accused Treasurer Michael Egan of misleading Parliament over Olympic financing. An Upper House inquiry into a government contingency grant of $140 million to SOCOG has criticised the Games organising committee, saying its financial planning was inadequate. Opposition Treasurer Stephen O'Doherty says Mr Egan misled Parliament when he made his pledge that the Games were fully paid for, yet the contingency money was granted one month later. ""Well, we've now got the proof, there was a failure of Government accountability,"" he said. ""The Treasurer should have been vigourously asking questions, finding out how much the blowout was, and providing for it in the state budget."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Franklins supermarket chain has admitted to wrongfully charging a 10 per cent GST on some of its products. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) says Franklins charged GST on items which are GST free. ACCC chairman Allan Fels says Franklins, which operates in all mainland states, has agreed to compensate customers by discounting normal prices for the relevant product of 11 per cent, for three weeks from next Wednesday. The products involved are No Frills Weetbix, orange juice, and apple juice and Peats Rich Natural Water. Those who have receipts will also be able to get refunds. Professor Fels says it is a victory for consumers. ""The case shows that price-conscious vigilant consumers can detect and did detect over-charging, and will now get speedy compensation,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Conservationists claim world heritage listed Daintree rainforest could be auctioned to make way for housing developments and shopping centres. The Daintree futures study was commissioned by the Wet Tropics Managerial Council to look at development and conservation options for the area. Cairns and Far North Environment Centre coordinator, Henry Boer, says the study suggests the area's population may treble, leading to a development boom in the region. ""This document was meant to set the future of the Daintree, however it's going to put the Daintree into long-term decline in terms of its world class ecological values and in terms of its world class tourism values,"" he said. ""The Daintree is an international icon in terms of lowland tropical rainforest conservation, natural habitat of the endangered cassowary and it's an historical treasure trove in terms of the bidiversity values that are contained there."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" President Bill Clinton is back in the United States, ready to assess whether it is worth continuing with the Middle East peace talks at Camp David. Mr Clinton arrived back in the US this morning after an early departure from the G8 summit in Japan and headed for the presidential retreat in Maryland. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have continued talks in the President's absence and Mr Clinton says systematic efforts have been made on many of the issues facing Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. But US officials say the talks are not open-ended and the parties appear to remain split on the crucial issue of Jerusalem. A spokesman for Mr Barak says the delegation will decide soon after Mr Clinton's return whether there is any point in staying on. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The mandatory sentencing deal between the Northern Territory and the Federal Government looks set to be finalised within days. The Territory's Chief Minister, Denis Burke, has signed off on the deal after months of negotiations. In April, the Federal Government pledged $5 million towards diversionary programs and it was agreed 17-year-olds would be sentenced as juveniles, not adults. However, the deal has yet to be been ratified, with the Federal Attorney-General expressing concern about plans to allocate the bulk of funds to police. Mr Burke says he has met with Federal Government representatives who have returned to Canberra, satisfied with that allocation. ""I've had a look at it and am happy it will be put before the Prime Minister in the next few days,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Tiger Woods of the United States has shot a closing 69 to win the British Open this morning, with a record-breaking 19-under-par total of 269. In so doing, Woods became only the fifth and youngest player in history to win all four Grand Slam events. The others were Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus. Second place, eight strokes back, went to South African Ernie Els and Thomas Bjorn of Denmark. Meanwhile, Australia's Karrie Webb has won the US Women's Open Golf tournament at Illinois, the richest ever women's golf tournament. Webb finished at 6-under par, five strokes ahead of her nearest rivals Meg Mallon and Christie Kerr. It is Webb's third Major title and comes shortly before her induction into the Hall of Fame."

" The Australian Democrats are seeking an urgent briefing from the Federal Government on Australia's security agencies. On Friday, Federal Police charged two people, one an employee of the Defence Intelligence Organisation in Canberra, over the theft of classified documents. The charges have prompted calls for a review of the organisation's staffing policies. The Prime Minister, John Howard, has expressed total confidence in Australia's security agencies. But the Australian Democrats leader Meg Lees has told Channel Seven that she is not so sure, although it is too early to be calling for a full Senate inquiry into the matter. ""One of the first steps we can take is a confidential briefing with Government to have put on the table for us exactly what is happening and what they are doing about it,"" she said. ""Now down the road, yes there is always the potential for a Senate hearing, but at this point in time I'm not prepared to commit to that."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Pakistan's deposed prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, has been convicted of corruption. He has been sentenced to 14 years in prison with hard labour and banned from public office for 21 years. Sharif was sentenced in the high security Attock fort near Islamabad. He was convicted of concealment of assets and tax evasion. In addition to his prison sentence and ban from public life, Sharif was also fined more than $US370,000. The ousted prime minister is already serving two life sentences for terrorism and hijacking, but he is appealing these convictions. The latest verdict against Mr Sharif further undercuts any prospects for a resuscitation of his political career after he was ousted by a coup in October. Pakistan's military rulers have launched two other corruption cases against Sharif and his wealthy family. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A man is due to appear in court tomorrow, charged over Thursday's double murder in Maryborough, in southern Queensland. A 32-year-old man was charged with two counts of murder late last night. The charges follow an intensive police investigation into the deaths of 32-year-old John Karami and his wife, 35-year-old Julie Karami. They were gunned down in their Maryborough home on Thursday night in front of their seven children, all aged under 11. Police executed a search warrant on a house at Bribie Island, north of Brisbane, early yesterday morning. A man was taken away for questioning and property was seized. The suspect remains in police custody in the Maryborough watch house and is expected to appear in court tomorrow. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Civil Aviation Safety Authority says it could soon begin test flights with Virgin Blue as part of the process of giving it approval to operate in Australia. CASA spokesman Peter Gibson is rejecting suggestions by Queensland Premier Peter Beattie that unnecessary bureaucracy has again delayed the airline's start-up date. Mr Gibson says CASA is working through the process with the airline and ultimately, the timing is up to them. ""Virgin Blue are completing the documentation stage of their application...putting together all their operational, engineering, training, checking manuals, the manuals that underpin the whole operation,"" he said. ""The next stage after that is actually doing some test flights where the Civil Aviation Safety Authority make sure they can put into practice all the steps and stages and procedures and processes that are in their manuals."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A South African farmer has died after a land ownership disagreement. The property owner was found beaten to death at his farm after having been warned that his property could be invaded. Earlier this week, more than 300 local tribal families rallied at a nearby magistrates court and promised to take over the land. The families say they were forced off the farm during the apartheid era and want to move back onto the land. They say they lost valuable livestock and farming equipment when they were evicted. The incident has increased tensions in the surrounding district in the east of South Africa's Kwazulu-Natal province. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's Labor-governed states and the Federal Government are at odds over how to tackle rising petrol prices. New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland have proposed a 10-point plan to bring prices down at a meeting of Fair Trading and Consumer Affairs Ministers in Perth today. The plan, drawn up by NSW Fair Trading Minister John Watkins, includes proposals to allow franchise owners to purchase fuel from any wholesaler and calls for a Commonwealth inquiry into petrol prices. But Federal Minister for Financial Services and Regulation, Joe Hockey says he is more concerned with misleading price boards at petrol stations. ""There's been extensive debate about oil codes and petrol distribution,"" he said. ""Mr Watkins has tried various petrol stunts before, but I am particularly concerned about the level of misleading information displayed on price boards and how it differs to the price charged at the petrol pump."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" It is believed that ambulance crews and other police could not get to a shot policeman for some hours outside Rockhampton last night because they were in danger of being shot themselves. Eventually an armoured security vehicle from Rockhampton prison, on the north eastern side the City, was called in to get help to the policeman. The officer was dead when it arrived. Senior Constable Norman Watts aged 33 was shot, just after 9:00pm when he arrived at a domestic dispute on the city's north western outskirts. A seven hour stand off with a male occupant of the house continued throughout the night, until police talked him out of the house at around 5:00am. A man is in custody and is now being questioned by police."

" North Queensland Aboriginal activist Murrandoo Yanner has had another setback in his bid to get his job as an Aboriginal and Tores Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC) Commissioner back. The Federal Court today ruled it did not have the jurisdiction to make a judgement in the matter. Mr Yanner was removed from the ATSIC Board after being convicted and sentenced to 18 months in jail on assault charges. The jail term was suspended. Outside the court, Mr Yanner's counsel, Angelo Vasta, said he will now take the matter to the High Court. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Fiji's deposed government is setting up office in the west of the main island. A meeting of coalition MPs in the west of the main island has vowed that the Chaudhry Government still exists, despite the George Speight coup and the abrogation of the constitution by the military regime. The coalition is to set up office in the Labour Party headquarters in Lautoka, Fiji's second largest city. It was the first official meeting since the hostages were released and focused on the breakdown of order in Fiji, creating a series of working committees to address the crisis. -----------------------------------"

" The Federal Government says it wants to hear from the private sector about increasing private investment in major infrastructure projects. The Transport Minister, John Anderson, and the Industry Minister, Nick Minchin, are convening a round table meeting in Melbourne today with builders and financiers. The Government has flagged major infrastructure announcements in the lead-up to the next federal election. Mr Anderson says private groups are involved in building roads, airports and railways, and private involvement needs to be maximised. ""It's time that we heard from them as to where they think the opportunities are in the future and what they think we can do to more effectively drive infrastructure expenditure,"" he said. ""We live in an age where with all the demands on the public purse, taxpayers...can't meet all of the expectations that the community now has in terms of infrastructure and future needs, particularly in the area of transport."" -------------------------------"

" Former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje has cancelled a planned trip to London because of fears he would be arrested. Cronje was concerned he may be detained and forced to face match fixing charges in India. The former Proteas captain was advised by his lawyer not to travel to London. Cronje had planned to go to London to meet with publicity agent Max Clifford. Mr Clifford says any legal confusion must be clarified, because he says the world's media wants to talk to Hansie Cronje. Cronje was sacked from the South African cricket team in April, when he admitted being dishonest about his dealings with bookmakers. -----------------------------"

" The Taxation Office (ATO) is warning businesses it is in a better position to identify tax dodging now the new tax system is in force. New products and an ATO media campaign will soon be introduced to try to help firms cope with the first quarterly business activity statement, due in November. On the compliance side, Tax Commissioner Michael Carmody says the statement and the register of Australian business numbers provide a rich new source of intelligence on potential tax fraud. He says over time the ATO's goods and services tax focus will shift from helping business to a concerted crackdown on non-compliance and the black economy. ""We'll get a range of information from the business activities statement about current trading activity, industry norms, factors that we'll be able to compare, to ensure that people are disclosing the right amount of their income,"" he said. ""Plus we will have very extensive field operations that will progressively move from assisting business into broader compliance activities right around the country."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" People out of work for a year or longer have benefitted from the fall in the national unemployment rate. The number of long-term unemployed people fell by more than 11,000 in June. Just under 28 per cent of the total number of unemployed now belong to the long-term unemployed category. The figures prove the long-term unemployed have been picked up in the strong employment growth which helped reduce the unemployment rate for June to a 10-year low of 6.6 per cent. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Middle East peace talks in the United States have continued past yesterday's original deadline, but there is no sign of a breakthrough in sight. Since US President Bill Clinton decided to postpone his trip to Japan for a G8 meeting, he has held bilateral talks with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. However, representatives of both sides are now accusing one another of negotiating in bad faith. Mr Barak has written a letter to President Clinton in which he reportedly predicts a missed opportunity for peace that could have tragic consequences unless the Palestinians change their position at the last minute. A key stumbling block is the status of Jerusalem, which both sides claim as a national capital. The White House is not ruling out a futher extension of time, but Mr Clinton's spokesman says he expects to leave Camp David this afternoon. --------------------------------"

" Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee has joined Prime Minister John Howard in calling for strong measures to calm the crisis in Fiji. An Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman says Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, in a telephone call to Mr Howard, relayed his deep concern over the possibility of civil war in Fiji. Mr Vajpayee says strong action must be taken to ensure effective progress in restoring democracy. The crisis in Fiji emerged as a key point of concern in talks between the two leaders during Mr Howard's two-day visit to Delhi last week. They had agreed to stay in touch over developments in Fiji, where more than 40 per cent of the population are ethnic Indians. ------------------------------"

" The New South Wales Chamber of Commerce says its latest quarterly survey shows business confidence in New South Wales has essentially collapsed. It says the June quarter result is the lowest level of business confidence recorded since the survey was first conducted four years ago. Chamber of Commerce spokesperson Katey Lahey says the results reflect a drop in sales and revenue growth. Ms Lahey says the next test for the sector will be in October. ""The next quarter's figures are going to be very important,"" she said. ""Those first GST returns are due then and businesses will have to hand over all that GST they've collected. ""We just hope that they've got that already put aside in the bank."" --------------------------------"

" World number one Tiger Woods will go into tonight's opening round of the British Open at St Andrews as the shortest priced favourite in the history of the tournament. Victory by Woods would make him the youngest player at the age of 24, to win golf's four major tournaments. The American says he is going into the Open with confidence. ""When you go out there and you play, you have an opportunity to win,"" he said. ""Now I don't think anyone ever takes the attitude you're determined to win or lose. You're going to give it everything you have."""

" Australian oil and gas company Petroz has secured its participation in the massive Bayu-Undan gas project in the Timor Sea. Fletcher Challenge Energy has acquired a substantial shareholding in Petroz enabling the company to not only invest in Bayu-Undan but also ongoing exploration programs in the Timor Sea and elsewhere over the next few years. Petroz's managing director Rod Brown says it is good news for shareholders. ""Now that our funding has been secured ... [it] will lend itself to securing the debt funding for the project. ""That means that we are fully participating in the Bayu-Undan project and that we would expect to see value being added progressively through the development phase. ""Once production starts in Bayu-Undan, knowing that it will have a 20-plus year life, it will generate a lot of cash and should have the impact of increasing shareholder value,"" he said."

" The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) plans to devote more resources to studying cyberspace corruption. Commissioner Irene Moss has told the National Press Club not enough attention has been given to issues such as information security. She says traditional corruption investigation methods, such as following paper trails, are becoming redundant. ""Paper is the investigator's life blood,"" Ms Moss said. ""You can actually tell a whole lot of things from paper, I mean sometimes when paper comes in we even say things like well let's dust for fingerprints, you can't do that anymore with computers."""

" A key pointer to the future health of the Australian economy remains subdued. The leading index compiled by Westpac and the Melbourne Institute is signalling an economic slowdown at the end of the year. The leading index for May is showing an annualised growth rate of 3.2 per cent, down from the April measure and well below the trend rate of 3.8 per cent. Westpac's general manager of economics, Bill Evans, says it is a good indicator of how the economy might be travelling six to nine months out. He says the result suggests official interest rates should remain on hold. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government has accused the Labor Party of releasing misleading figures from a survey of post-goods and services tax prices. The Opposition has conducted its own survey of prices, based on items monitored in 20 electorates. Its press release highlighted goods whose prices rose by significantly more than the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had forecast. But the Government says Labor failed to release an even greater number of goods whose prices have risen by less than the ACCC predictions. The Shadow Finance Minister, Lindsay Tanner, acknowledges prices have come in on both sides of the ACCC forecast range. ""The survey also shows that there are areas where the prices have undershot as well,"" he said. ""But we're not saying there's any average conclusion you can draw from it, because it's only 20 electorates and it's a limited basket of goods. ""What we're saying is that this shows there are some problems out there that they really need to crack down on and stop patting themselves on the back, that it's all been plain sailing."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Moves are underway to establish one of the largest wildlife corridors in Australia. The Federal Government is providing $100,000 to help buy 31 hectares of land near Mission Beach in far north Queensland as part of a wildlife corridor to protect the cassowary. Plans are to eventually set aside a 250 kilometre stretch of land along the coast to protect the endangered bird. Chairman of the Cassowary Advisory Group, George Mansford, says it is time for action. ""We talk about the cassowary and other wildlife and up 'til now a lot of this has just been bandaid,"" he said. ""Well, we're getting a bit weary of the bandaid, we're getting a bit weary of asking the Government continually for funds and we believe through the Foundation which has just been launched with a group of dedicated businessmen that we intend to lead the way."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" All of Fiji's new Cabinet may not take office today because rebel leader George Speight's group says the line-up is unrepresentative. Mr Speight has attacked the new Cabinet saying it is a betrayal of his cause. He says the announced Cabinet list is devious and his supporters did not agree to join. ""Some smart alec in government is trying to pull a fast one, but that list is definitely not acceptable to us,"" he said. Mr Speight says only four people aligned to his movement have been named in the 32 member ministry. The Cabinet is to be sworn in later this morning, but some of those named are threatening not to attend. Among those saying they will boycott the meeting are those named as assistant ministers for health and for regional development. Radio Fiji reports that only 90 per cent of the Cabinet line-up may be sworn in. Diplomatically, a withdrawal of ambassadors in underway. Britain is following the lead of Australia and New Zealand and is recalling its High Commissioner. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Solomon Islands Government is due to announce a draft ceasefire proposal today. The Government hopes the ceasefire agreement will be accepted by rival militias fighting a 19-month ethnic conflict. The Solomon Islands Cabinet has been working on the draft agreement for several days. It is to be the basis of negotiations between the Isatabu and Malaitan forces, which the Government is hoping can begin this week. If a ceasefire can be implemented, the Government will have a chance to restore its police force, which was effectively neutralised when the Malaita Eagle Force took over the capital, Honiara, six weeks ago. Crime has risen dramatically in Honiara over the past week and much it is allegedly being committed by members of the Malaita Eagle Force. Meanwhile, the Government has expressed sorrow to the Papua New Guinean Government over the death of a PNG citizen in Honiara. The man was killed in fighting between rival militias involved in the conflict. Peter Tani, from Goroka in the PNG eastern highlands, was shot at the weekend in fighting between Isatabu and Malaitan Forces west of Honiara. The Malaita Eagle Force says Mr Tani was shooting at their troops before he was killed. But the PNG High Commission says he was an innocent victim of the war. And a group of Solomon Islanders studying in PNG have been evacuated to Port Moresby amid fears of reprisals. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Petrol supplies could be affected as oil industry workers begin industrial action as part of enterprise bargaining talks. Esso workers in Victoria say they will not repair faulty equipment after Saturday. Gas supplies are not involved, and Esso says refineries have considerable oil reserves. It is offering 400 oil workers a 3.5 per cent pay rise in each of the next three years, but Australian Manufacturers and Workers Union Victorian organiser Terry Lee says Esso can afford to pay more. ""There have been a number of outcomes recently in manufacturing of a 15 per cent package,"" he said. ""Tradition has it that the oil industry has the capacity to pay, so therefore 15 per cent is not over the top in terms of a wages claim. Esso spokesman Ron Webb says the company's offer is generous, and there is little chance of a further pay offer. The company also wants guarantees against disruptive industrial action. ""As different changes occur that allow us to improve, we want to be able to do that progressively rather than having to wait until every time there's an enterprise bargaining agreement,"" Mr Webb said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Labor Party's national president, Barry Jones, has ruled himself out of contention as a candidate for re-election to the position. Mr Jones' decision follows a deal between the ALP's left and right factions over the make-up of the national executive. Under the deal, Mr Jones and the left faction had agreed not to contest the presidency in return for the right agreeing not to pursue an outright majority on the executive committee. Mr Jones says he feels the power-sharing arrangement is an achievement and his candidacy is no longer required. His withdrawal means the right faction's candidate, Greg Sword, is likely to take the presidency unopposed at the ALP's Hobart conference later this month. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Telstra is about to lose its grip on one of the biggest non-government telecommunications accounts in Australia. The Commonwealth Bank is on the verge of appointing Telecom New Zealand as its telecommunications gatekeeper. The Commonwealth Bank is in final negotiations with Telecom New Zealand on what the bank's technology head, Russell Scrimshaw, describes as a ""very significant"" deal. ""It's a contract that we expect to be in excess of $500 million over the next five years,"" he said. ""We are one of the largest telecommunications users in Australia."" Mr Scrimshaw says the decision reflects the current maturity of the local telecommunications market. ""Australia has now deregulated sufficiently that there is more than one provider who can guarantee to deliver all of the services that a big corporation requires,"" he said. The bank will still have relationships with other service providers, but they will be managed by Telecom New Zealand in a move the bank hopes will reduce its telecommunications costs by around 20 per cent. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" ""What happened was awful, disgusting. We hope that we will get the truth,"" Jean-Claude Braquet said. He lamented the fact that it had taken six years to bring Chhouk Rin before the court, and the Government's kid-gloves treatment of him after his defection. ""I don't understand how Chhouk Rin could become a colonel in the army. Everyone knows he was the one responsible for the attack and the hostage-taking,"" he said. David Wilson's father Peter said one issue that had never been explained was the botched ransom demand. When the payment failed to come off, Cambodian forces bombarded Nuon Paet's Phnom Vour (Vine Mountain) base where the hostages were held, sealing the fate of the three young men. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is urging people to be careful when using the Internet for medical purposes. The AMA has highlighted potential risks associated with self-diagnosis from health-related websites, without consulting a general practitioner. The problems include wrong self-diagnosis and incorrect administration of drugs. The AMA says the growth of the Internet has led to a surge in the number of websites offering diagnosis, drugs and alternative remedies, which are difficult to monitor. The association's Tasmanian branch is encouraging patients to discuss health concerns and any information obtained online with their doctor. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A fund to compensate people forced into slave labour under the Nazis has been formally signed in Berlin. A total of 10 billion marks ($A8 billion) has been set aside, financed equally by the German Government and more than 3,000 German companies. More than 12 million Jews and other people from countries in eastern Europe were forced to work for nothing in the mines and factories of German industry by the Nazis. The fund, established after considerable negotiation between the United States, German Government and German industry, will compensate those who are still alive. The German Foreign Minister, Josker Fischer, declared that the signing was an historic moment for Germany and, above all, a gesture of moral responsibility for the Nazi crimes. But the agreement has come too late for many, as it is estimated one in seven survivors have died in the past 13 months of negotiations. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Rwanda Government is conducting a census to determine how many people were killed during the central African nation's 1994 genocide. Investigators will interview family members of those who were murdered to determine just how many people died. Until now, the real death toll has been unknown, but unofficial estimates have ranged from 500,000 to one million victims. The killings occurred during just three months in 1994, with most of those murdered being members of Rwanda's minority Tutsi population, who were targeted by ethnic Hutu extremists. A 1,600 member team will travel across the country interviewing survivors and gathering information about those who lost their lives. A final report will be completed by October. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Laurie Brereton, has called on the Howard Government to come clean on whether it would support US plans to create a missile defence shield. Mr Brereton says US Defence Secretary William Cohen has been open about what role he could see for Australia if the National Missile Defence system is given the go-ahead. But he says the Federal Government has been less forthcoming and Australians need to be told what the implications would be. ""Labor has great concerns about the whole concept of national missile defence development,"" he said. ""We, like many countries in the world, believe that it will undermine and abrogate the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABN) Treaty of 1972. ""It's the ABN Treaty that has been a keystone of nuclear non-proliferation for almost three decades."""

" In Fiji, George Speight supporters are digging a grave next to the country's Parliament chamber. The rebels say they will hold a funeral tomorrow for the 24-year-old supporter who was killed by army gunfire two weeks ago. Suva authorities have denied permission for the burial, but rebel spokesmen say the grave beside the Parliament will be a monument to the Fijian indigenous struggle. Mr Speight's rebels have handed back their weapons, but still retain control of the Parliament compound."

" A private memorial service was held today for the great Australian scientist Sir Mark Oliphant, who died after a short illness at the age of 98. Sir Mark, a physicist, worked with the team that succeeded in splitting the atom in 1932, and became a lifelong campaigner for the peaceful use of atomic energy. He was the founding director of the Research School of Physical Sciences at the Australian National University, and a governor of South Australia. Sir Mark died in Canberra last Friday."

" Thousands of Australians have stayed up late to watch a total eclipse of the moon, a rare event that saw the moon completely blocked by the earth's shadow. The eclipse, which last for more than 90 minutes, was seen across much of the Asia-Pacific region. Australia was one of just a handful of points on the globe in the path of the rare event. In India, tens of millions of Hindus observed the phenomenon with religious rites and holy dips in rivers. The eclipse was the longest in 141 years and a similar event will not occur again until 2007. Starting just before 10.00pm AEST last night, the moon began drifting into the earth's shadow. It eventually disappeared from view to be replaced by a dark disc with a rusty glow. The red tinge was caused by sunlight passing through the earth's atmosphere reflecting on the lunar surface. The director of the Perth Observatory, Jamie Biggs, says scientists noted the exact time the moon went into full eclipse and the time it came out. ""That actually tells you something about the size of the Earth's atmosphere,"" she said. ""It's sort of interesting that the earth's atmosphere isn't exactly the same shape as the Earth, it should just be like an envelope around the Earth and it's not."""

" Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock begins two days of official talks in New Delhi today as part of a five-nation tour aimed at stamping out people-smuggling and illegal immigration. Mr Ruddock will meet with India's influential Home Minister, L K Advani, as well as India's Aviation Minister. Mr Ruddock has already visited Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand, as part of the Federal Government's drive to stamp out illegal immigration and people-trafficking. Also on the agenda with officials in New Delhi will be Indian students visiting Australia. The lucrative $100 million market for education services has been tarnished by recent police investigations into concerns that some students are using false documents to obtain visas to study in Australia. Last year about 9,500 Indian students came to Australia for education. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Fiji's schools are reopening today after eight weeks of disruption because of the political crisis. Twice during the siege of Parliament, Fiji's Education Ministry tried to reopen schools, but had to close them again because of incidents of violence. With schools around Fiji resuming today, the next test will be how many parents think it is safe enough to send children back to school. Suva's night curfew has also been relaxed, now starting two hours later at 10:00pm. But Fiji's main island is still suffering power cuts because of a landowner occupation of the key hydroelectric station. Rebel unrest still plagues the northern town of Labasa and a standoff continues at Fiji's maximum security prison. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Twenty-two illegal immigrants, detained in Cairns and Brisbane over the past three days, have been taken to the Port Hedland detention centre in Western Australia. Customs officials have also intercepted a fishing vessel believed used to smuggle the Chinese nationals into Australia. Three men were taken into custody in Cairns on Thursday and raids on Friday netted another 15 Chinese nationals also in Cairns. Three other suspected illegal immigrants were arrested in Brisbane on Friday night and a fourth in Cairns also on Friday. Immigration officials say all have now been taken to the Port Hedland detention centre and unless claims are made for refugee status all will be removed from Australia as soon as possible. Customs authorities have now intercepted a fishing boat believed repsonsible for smuggling the people into Australia. It is being escorted back by Cairns customs vessel Hervey Bay. Eleven Indonesian crew are being interview by federal police. Another two men have appeared in the Cairns Magistrates Court yesterday charged with people smuggling and will reappear tomorrow."

" Meanwhile, Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock has arrived in Delhi ahead of two days of talks with Indian officials and non-government organisations. The visit is part of a five nation tour. The Immigration Minister's tour, which includes Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and France, is part of the Government's drive to stamp out illegal immigration and people trafficking. Mr Ruddock will meet with a range of Indian ministers and officials as well as representatives from the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. But the business end of the visit does not kick off until tomorrow. Today, Mr and Mrs Ruddock will look at the Taj Mahal. The Immigration Minister's visit to India comes less than a week after Prime Minister John Howard held two days of officials talks in Delhi aimed at restoring bilateral ties in the wake of India's nuclear test in May 1998. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Cairns police are searching for a further three suspected illegal immigrants who fled from a raid on a house in the city's north yesterday. Twenty suspected illegal immigrants were arrested in the raid. Acting on a tip-off from the public police, Customs and Immigration Department officials swooped on the house at Holloway's Beach about 1:00pm AEST yesterday. Three other suspected illegal immigrants were arrested in Cairns on Thursday night. Leon Beddington, from Customs says the group, thought to have arrived from the Philippines on board a merchant vessel, were interviewed late into last night. He says Customs will decide this morning what to do with them. Acting Immigration Minister Amanda Vanstone has praised the swift action of federal and state authorities in arresting the suspected illegal immigrants. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The industry responsible for the construction and maintenance of Australia's infrastructure has accused the Federal Government of discriminating against it. The Civil Contractors Federation says the recent changes to the diesel fuel excise will translate into a loss of $65 million for the industry. The federation's Doug Huett says other industries, such as farming, will also suffer losses of up to $25 million. But Mr Huett says with the amount of diesel his industry uses, it will be hit the worst. ""So really the Government is pocketing quite a large amount of money which is costing our members, some of whom are paying up to $5,000 a month because of fixed price contracts, all because the Government hasn't kept its promise to not make fuel more expensive."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Northern Territory Chief Minister Denis Burke claims there is a Labor Party agenda behind the British Prime Minister's wife, Cherie Booth, leading a case against mandatory sentencing. Ms Booth, a human rights lawyer, will lead a case at the United Nations, arguing on behalf of Aboriginal clients that the Territory's laws breach the UN Covenant on Human Rights. Mr Burke has raised doubts about who the unnamed Aboriginal clients are, and claims Ms Booth's husband, Tony Blair, is part of a Labor lobby led by the ALP and Opposition leader Kim Beazley."

" The Victorian National Party has severed its ties with the state Liberal Party. The split is effective immediately. National Party leader Peter Ryan says a joint meeting of parliamentary members and the state council has accepted the recommendation of a review committee that it end its nine-month partnership with the Liberals. Mr Ryan says it is time for the Nationals to stand alone and give country Victoria its own voice in the Parliament. He insists the decision does not represent a war between the National and Liberal parties."

" Many eyes are expected to gaze skyward on Sunday night for what experts say will be one of the best lunar eclipses seen in Australia for decades. The total eclipse will take place around midnight and be visible throughout Australia, with forecasters predicting fine conditions. Astronomer Gordon Garrard says as well as the novelty value, the lunar eclipse will be useful for scientific purposes. ""The brightness of the moon's face is measured and that's helpful in determining how much aerosols and things are up in the atmosphere of the earth,"" he said. ""If there's a lot of material in the earth's atmosphere around from a big volcanic eruption, for example, then the moon is much dimmer."""

" Australia has taken a stranglehold on the Davis Cup semi-final in Brisbane, winning the opening day's singles rubbers in straight sets. Lleyton Hewitt downed Fernando Meligeni in the second rubber 6-4, 6-2, 6-3, to give the defending champions a commanding 2-0 lead in the tie. The first three games of the rubber saw three consecutive service breaks, before Hewitt was able to hold serve and take a 3-1 lead. Games continued on serve for Hewitt to close out the set. Hewitt then raced to a 4-0 lead in the second set, before Meligeni began to engineer a fightback. The Brazilian kept pace with Hewitt in the latter part of the set, before Hewitt prevailed on his second set point. The third set went with serve in the opening games, with Meligeni clearly mounting a challenge and threatening a likely comeback at certain stages. The third set was level at 3-3, before Hewitt was able to manufacture three break points. Meligeni saved two, but Hewitt was able to convert the third. Hewitt then held serve and broke again to take the rubber. Earlier, Gustavo Kuerten was beaten by Pat Rafter in straight sets, 6-3, 6-2, 6-3. Kuerten will not play in the doubles tomorrow after injuring a groin muscle in the loss and is a doubtful starter for the reverse singles on Sunday."

" Victorian Labor unionist, Greg Sword, has confirmed he will be standing as a candidate for the Labor national presidency. His candidacy is being supported by the Federal Labor leader, Kim Beazley, and he has also managed to secure the support of the Victorian right faction after negotiations. Mr Sword says he will seek the broad support of the right in other states and territories. However, the ALP's left wing is still looking for its own candidate, with one senior faction member urging them to find a woman who could win support for the job."

" The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) fears the high standing of doctors within the community is at risk because of the Federal Government's refusal to increase doctor training numbers. New research commissioned by the RACGP shows most Australians are happy with the level of care they receive from their doctor. A third of those surveyed gave their local GP 10 out of 10. But RACGP president Margaret Kilmartin says while she is pleased with the result, those high levels of satisfaction may be jeopardised if the Government does not increase the number of doctors being trained. She says times have changed and doctors coming through the system now want a life outside medicine as well. ""They no longer want to be tied to working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and not having any time to look after their own health,"" she said. Dr Kilmartin says there needs to be a national coordinated approach to address the problem."

" The ALP is scrambling to undo the damage caused by the John Della Bosca affair. The New South Wales right faction power-broker has withdrawn from the contest for the presidency, after telling The Bulletin magazine the Opposition's roll-back policy would complicate the goods and services tax (GST) and suggesting the tax should be extended to include food. Senior party sources admit Mr Della Bosca's intervention has been dreadful and very damaging. Even Labor leader Kim Beazley says Mr Della Bosca has made a grave error. ""I don't agree with those reported comments and nor am I going to be deflected by them,"" he said. Mr Beazley's own position does not appear to be under question, but some in the party have noted the problems have come from within Mr Beazley's own faction and from someone Mr Beazley backed for the presidency. Victorian right wing unionist Greg Sword is now expected to run for president, with Mr Beazley's support. ""I made a commitment to Mr Sword at the last conference that if he was a candidate in the future that I would be offering him my support,"" Mr Beazley said. But others believe the party needs a senior well known candidate and have mentioned New South Wales Premier Bob Carr's name. And there is an outside chance current president, Barry Jones, may in the end, retain his position."

" The New South Wales Premier has emphatically ruled out standing for the ALP national presidency, following the withdrawal of his Special Minister of State, John Della Bosca. Mr Della Bosca was forced to quit following his reported criticisms of Labor Party policy on the goods and services tax (GST). The ALP has been canvassing other likely candidates for the post of federal president, and Mr Carr was named as a possibility. But a spokesman for Mr Carr, who is overseas, says he has firmly ruled that out. Mr Carr says all his energy and focus is on his responsibilities as Premier of New South Wales."

" A morning-before-sex contraceptive pill may be ready for testing on Australian women by the end of the year. Scientists from Monash University in Melbourne have designed the pill, which prevents fertilisation by stopping sperm reaching the egg for up to 24 hours. Consultant ethicist, Nicholas Tonti Filippini, says the new drug will have less side effects than the existing pill, but it will also still have shortcomings. ""[The] problem with taking something like this is that it would disturb the mucous pattern and you wouldn't know what to predict, what would happen afterwards, in terms of fertility for a woman who was following her mucus symptom,"" he said. But the pill has attracted criticism from church leaders and ethicists. The Catholic church is urging the scientists to abandon the trials. Father Christopher Prowse says the church has concerns about the health of women who would use the drug and is opposed to contraception in general. ""We see in the Catholic church that every act of sexual intercourse must be both a love sharing and life giving act, which is appropriate in the married state,"" he said. ""We find that this morning before pill suppresses that life giving dimension or at least suspends it for a short period of time."""

" The number of deaths in custody in Australia is continuing to decline. A new report from the Australian Institute of Criminology shows there were 85 deaths in custody last year, down from 95 the previous year, and 20 fewer than in 1997. Of the 85 deaths last year, 26 occurred in police custody. Aboriginal people accounted for almost 25 per cent of all deaths in custody. A third of all deaths were by hanging, 20 per cent were by illness and other natural causes. More indigenous prisoners and detainees died from natural causes than from hanging."

" Nine of Fiji's political hostages have been released in the early hours this morning. The nine hostages released from Parliament are the former attorney-general, the works minister, the trade minister, four Labour Party MPs and two General Voters Party MPs. They were taken to Red Cross headquarters for a medical check-up, before returning to their families. The release of the nine leaves 18 hostages remaining in the Parliament, including the deposed prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry. While the hostage crisis maybe drawing to a close, unrest continues across Fiji. The island resort of Turtle Lodge has been taken over by villagers to support ownership claims. The resort owner, Richard Evanson, was detained and about 40 guests have been told to leave the island. In the north, the main police station at Labasa has been occupied by rebels. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Latvia has approved the terms of an extradition treaty with Australia. This could pave the way for Latvia to charge Konrad Kalejs and other Australian citizens with war crimes. Following months of negotiation, the treaty will be signed in the Latvian capital, Riga, this Friday. It will then be some weeks before it is in force, as further legal procedures are required in both countries. This extradition treaty has been negotiated specifically to remove any barriers to the charging of Mr Kalejs over crimes committed in Latvia during World War II, when he fought with the Nazis. The Latvian prosecutors office has indicated it may be ready to charge him as early as next month. Mr Kalejs, aged 86, has always denied any involvement in war crimes. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Prime Minister John Howard has hit back at blistering Australian newspaper headlines about his trip to London, describing them as adolescent. Mr Howard argues that criticism of the week-long Centenary of Federation festivities is short-sighted, ignoring the foreign investment that could flow from promoting Australia. A comment piece in London's Daily Telegraph says the Prime Minister has been lampooned by Australia's left-leaning press for his love of Queen and mother-country. Mr Howard says the trip was worthwhile, but has been trivialised by the media. ""I think those headlines have been in many cases quite adolescent,"" he said. ""They've just set out to be negative without understanding the economic gain from such a focus as this."""

" Australia's Pat Rafter is through to his first Wimbledon singles final after beating Andre Agassi overnight. Twelfth seeded Rafter won his semi-final clash with Agassi 7-5, 4-6, 7-5, 4-6, 6-3 and will now play Pete Sampras in the final. Rafter says the result was beyond his expectations, after coming back from a shoulder injury. ""It's been a long road back, I think that's the most satisfying thing about it and now I'm back in the finals, so it has been a big shock, but I don't want to think about it right now, I want to go ahead with the job and put in my best efforts on Sunday,"" he said. Australia's Lleyton Hewitt and partner Kim Clijsters are through to the final of the mixed doubles, while Australia's Rene Stubbs and American Lisa Raymond lost their semi-final in the women's doubles."

" The Royal Australian Mint has released a new commemorative $1 coin honouring recipients of the Victorian Cross - the highest military award available to members of the Commonwealth. Today's release marks 100 years since the first Victoria Cross recipient, Captain Neville Howse, was awarded the medal for his bravery in saving a comrade under enemy fire during the Boer War. Ninety-five other Australians have been awarded the cross since then. Anton Porzig from the Royal Australian Mint says it is particularly proud of the latest edition to its commemorative collection. ""It's really a very, very elegant coin, it's terribly difficult to do justice to that sort of bravery but I think it has come out very beautifully,"" he said. ""The Howse family has seen it and I think they're equally thrilled with it."""

" The Shadow Transport Minister, Martin Ferguson, has blamed the power failure at Sydney Airport on recent staff cuts. A two minute power blackout last night caused the centre's computer system to crash. It took a further 10 minutes before radar communication with circling aircraft was fully restored. Mr Ferguson says up to 80 maintenance staff lost their positions last year. He says Air Services Australia is now operating with an underlying profit motive. ""We've got a proud and well-earned reputation as a safe aviation nation,"" he said. ""The incident of last night has got to send a warning bell to all of us. ""We must always be vigilant and we must not take risks with the system, and importantly [remember] that people are only human beings and there is a limit to the pressure and the stress that they can suffer in operating our system."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A Federal Court judge has been asked to abort one of the highest profile class actions in Australia's recent history. The application was made by counsel for the more than 6,000 claimants in the McDonald's McMatch and Win trial. The Federal Court in Brisbane has heard the associate of trial judge John Dowsett had negotiated a job with the Sydney law firm representing McDonald's. Cedric Hampson QC, for the claimants, told the court there was the potential for the job to be perceived as a reward for ""services rendered"". The hearing is continuing. The long-running trial began in July last year and has held hearings across Australia. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Antarctic may soon be home to a telescope which could place Australian scientists at the leading edge of modern astronomy. The telescope's designers say it could be built for $9 million. Normally, optical telescopes cost between $100 million and $1 billion dollars to build. But Michael Burton, from the University of New South Wales, says it will be cheaper and smaller because of the unique characteristics of the Antarctic. ""An infra-red telescope on one of the highest parts of the Antarctic plateau where the air is incredibly cold and dry and it provides the clearest views of the distant stars and galaxies and universe,"" he said. ""It would allow Australia to build a world leading facility for a fraction of the price of other countries [and] to be leading the way in international astronomy."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Government is supporting the creation of an exclusion zone around the Fijian Parliament. The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, says the military has been too lenient for too long. The exclusion zone was established around the compound last night. Those inside have been warned by the military they have until midnight Friday to leave. In a show of defiance, rebels have paraded some men in warrior dress and raised a hand-made flag in the Parliament grounds. The rebels, holed up in Fiji's Parliament, are having face-to-face talks with the military regime for the first time in a fortnight. A member of the military council is in the Parliamentary complex for a meeting with the rebels. The emissary is Ratu Epeli Ganilau, the previous head of Fiji's military, and a member of the council overseeing the martial law regime."

" Ratu Epeli is having talks with the commander of the renegade troops in the compound, former officer Ilisoni Ligairi, who has emerged as a key figure in the George Speight group. The rebels say the talks are exploratory and unofficial. They come as the army moves slowly to enforce the exclusion zone declared at midnight last night. Mr Downer has welcomed the tougher stance of the Fijian military. Despite the formation of a civilian Government two days ago, 27 hostages remain under the control of the rebels, 49 days after the coup began. Mr Downer says pressure is mounting on coup leader George Speight and he should end the stand-off immediately. ""There is very little community support for Mr Speight and Mr Speight has no further options,"" he said. ""He should take the opportunity of releasing the hostages, doing the one decent and honourable thing he can do."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Two Aboriginal men who admitted taking Aboriginal remains from a sacred keeping place south of Hobart, say they have no intention of giving them back. Douglas Maynard and Cranston Mansell have been jointly charged with trespassing and destroying property at Oyster Cove in November last year. The pair did not enter pleas in the Hobart Magistrates Court today, but said the charges should be decided by the Aboriginal community and NOT the courts. The Aboriginal bones are contained in twenty-one boxes, and the pair has refused to give them back despite requests from the Aborignal Land Council and the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has criticised plans by a major private health insurance group to limit the treatment patients can receive for a chronic condition. A report today says the insurance company MBF [Medical Benefits Fund] is planning to allow patients with the chronic condition lymphoedema to be covered for only 10 treatments in their lifetime. The AMA president, Karyn Phelps, says it is an attempt to shift the burden back onto the public hospital system and it is not fair to patients. ""If a patient has gone to the expense of private health insurance, in good faith, and they develop a condition, acute, chronic or otherwise, they should be covered for that condition. ""To put a lifetime cap on treatment for a chronic condition is another form of cost shifting back to the public sector,"" she said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" International flights to Solomon Islands have again been suspended following fighting around the capital, Honiara. The only airline still flying to Honiara has cancelled today's flight. Air Nuigini was due to fly in from Port Moresby at lunch time, but says its insurance under-writers would not cover the flight. This follows heavy fighting between the rival militias at Alligator Creek about one kilometre from the airport. The scene of the fighting is close to the end of the runway, but as has been the case throughout this conflict, aircraft have not been targeted and international flights have operated safely. Air Nuigini was the only international airline still flying to Honiara. Qantas suspended its code share service with Solomon Islands one month ago. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Villagers in the north of Sierra Leone have reported that rebel soldiers have raped a group of young girls. The rebels are accused of sexually assaulting up to 25 girls during the attack. Witnesses say the soldiers were laughing as they raped the girls, aged between seven and 10. The alleged incident has taken place in a town in the north of Sierra Leone. Amnesty International has already expressed its concern about the increasing incidence of sexual assault. The United Nations has also acknowledged the problem saying civilians remain vulnerable as fighting continues. The UN is investigating reports that rebel soldiers have now taken control of a strategic junction east of Freetown. Residents fleeing from the area, 40 kilometres outside the capital, say that the rebels used heavy mortar fire to secure the position on Monday night. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The farm lobby has complained to the Federal Government about a glitch in diesel excise arrangements which will leave farmers paying nearly two cents a litre excise for on-farm diesel use. Diesel for tractors, pumps and generators on farms is traditionally free of excise, via a rebate scheme. But the National Farmers Federation (NFF) says the Government's failure to reduce excise by a full 8.2 cents per litre means there will be a gap of 1.8 cents a litre between the excise paid for diesel and the amount rebated. NFF president Ian Donges says the problem will have to be fixed and backdated to July 1. ""There's no doubt if you're talking about a time period of six months and even 12 months, you're talking about millions of dollars of extra cost to agriculture because diesel fuel is an important component of many farm businesses, and you're talking nearly a two cents per litre tax,"" he said. A spokesman for the Transport Minister, John Anderson, says the Government is prepared to look at the NFF's case."

" The Federal Government says a slump in investment on research and development reflects the level of abuse of tax concessions offered by the former Labor government. The latest figures on research and development show spending has fallen to just under 0.7 of 1 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), well down on levels when the Coalition formed government in 1996, and towards the bottom of the ladder of industrialised nations. The Industry Minister, Nick Minchin, says comparisons with the Keating government's years are invalid because research and development spending was artificially inflated by systematic abuse of tax concessions."

" Thousands of people in Western Australia's south-west have missed seeing the Olympic torch. The flame arrived last night in the timber town of Manjimup, where up to 7,000 people turned out, many of them to watch it on a giant television screen. However, a major sponsor decided not to set up the screen, claiming the ground was not level, even though SOCOG officials had approved it. Event organiser Tracey Crombie-Wilson says the superscreen would have allowed the crowd to see everything but they missed out. ""Because of the way the streets are lined a lot of people didn't actually get to see the torch until it got up onto the stage to light the cauldron. ""It was very exciting, and we're not taking away from that, but they didn't get to see it along the leg because they chose to wait for the cauldron and so they saw the last 30 seconds,"" she said."

" Australia has named a predictable team for the Davis Cup semi-final against Brazil, beginning in Brisbane on July 14. Cup captain John Newcombe has named Mark Philippoussis, Lleyton Hewitt, Pat Rafter and Mark Woodforde. It is expected Philippoussis and Hewitt will play singles, while Rafter will combine with Woodforde in the doubles."

" The South African Government says it will not back away from the pursuit of alternative treatments for AIDS. The Government has invited several controversial scientists to attend a special two-day meeting. The forum, which finishes today, will deliver advice to the Government on how to deal with the worsening AIDS crisis. Several of the scientists attending the meeting believe that HIV does not cause AIDS. It is a view which is in contrast to mainstream research, but the South African Government says it has a right to explore a range of opinions. It is estimated that one in 10 South Africans are now HIV positive. This weekend, South Africa will host the world's largest forum on AIDS. Up to 10,000 international delegates are expected to attend the conference in Durban. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Chechen rebels say the latest suicide attacks that have killed about 60 people are the first phase of a major operation for the liberation of Chechnya. The heaviest attack was in the city of Argun, where a suicide bomber in a truck packed with explosives blew up a police hostel. The Chechen political spokesman, Aslan Bakadiaf, says suicide is strictly forbidden in Chechen society. ""But the situation of [the] Chechen civilian population is so desperate at this moment and their situation is so severe that some Chechen soldiers, fighters, decided to take this extreme method of resistance,"" he said. ""But actually, [it] is more dedicated to bringing attention to this forgotten war."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Two teenagers will be sentenced later this month after pleading guilty in the Perth Children's Court to raping a 75-year-old woman. The boys, aged 14 and 15, admitted breaking into the woman's unit in suburban Wilson two months ago and raping her. They pleaded guilty to several charges including sexual penetration, deprivation of liberty and stealing."

" The Federal Government has outlined details of its $30 million national biotechnology strategy. The funding is an addition to the $250 million the Government spends annually on biotechnology research and development. Science Minister Nick Minchin took the opportunity to launch the new strategy at the opening of Australia's premier biotechnology conference ABA 2000, in Brisbane. A key priority of the strategy is to establish a $20 million fund to encourage business to invest in biotechnology growth. He says the Government will source funding from the science community, private sector and state governments, to provide a pool of finance for potential biotechnology projects. Other priorities in the strategy include identifying the requirements and costs of gene technology, promoting public awareness, establishing an environmental risk research program, developing biotechnology networks and ensuring market access for agriculture and food biotechnology products."

" A proposal to introduce secret ballots for the International Whaling Commission has not made it onto the agenda of the meeting being held in Adelaide this week. The Japanese proposal was submitted late and the committee chairman ruled it would not be discussed this year. Japan says it wants secret ballots introduced because of concerns that some smaller countries feel intimidated. A spokesman for the Japanese Government says the proposal will be re-introduced next year."

" Thousands more Australian businesses will today experience trading under the goods and services tax (GST) for the first time. The start of the week for Monday-to-Friday traders follows a relatively smooth introduction of the GST at the weekend. Early monitoring by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has shown 97 per cent of goods and services surveyed rose by less than 10 per cent. Nappies, vitamin pills, paint, hamburgers and clothes recorded some of the biggest price rises. ACCC chairman Alan Fels says the initial results are indicative only, and should become more accurate as price monitoring activities increase. Professor Fels says further price changes are expected as smaller stores complete their GST preparations. ""It's pretty clear what's happening in the major supermarkets, but in some of the smaller businesses it's less clear,"" he said. ""Big business has been well prepared. At the other end, with very very small businesses, there's been quite a few of them still making the change, or have been slow to do so and I think I understand that."" In a further sign the introduction of the GST has run smoothly, the ACCC says it received 5,000 calls over the weekend with only a small percentage complaints. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Melbourne's Royal Women's Hospital has suspended three senior medical staff over the abortion of a 32-week-old foetus. The incident has also been referred to the coroner for further investigation. The hospital's medical director, Glenn Bowes, says the full details of the incident are not fully known, with the hospital also conducting an internal investigation. Professor Bowes says the hospital does know the woman was referred to the hospital to terminate the pregnancy due to a foetal abnormality. ""A woman arrived here in an extremely distressed state with her husband and they both came here for the first time at that gestation of pregnancy and requested a termination of pregnancy,"" he said. He says details are still sketchy over the incident, but medical practices exist to terminate pregnancies at such a late stage in extreme cases. ""We know that there was a stillbirth, we know there was an abnormality,"" he said. ""We know that there was a request for termination of pregnancy. We also know that there are various treatment modalities procedures that are used in such circumstances."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Voting continues in Mexico, where there is a real chance the ruling PRI could lose power after more than 70 years in office. Polling booths close in a few hours, but results are not expected for some time. The leader of one of the observer missions, former US president Jimmy Carter, says Mexico has made great strides in stamping out election fraud. ""I think this is probably one of the best organised processes legally, that I've ever seen,"" he said. ""It's very clear, the Central Election Commission has complete authority. All the members of it have been agreed upon by all three major parties, so there's no prejudice there."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is expecting around 15,000 GST inquiries this weekend, as business and consumers adjust to the new tax system. Telephone hotlines will be open from 8:00am to 8:00pm tomorrow, and 10:00am to 3:00pm on Sunday. The Tax Commissioner, Michael Carmody, says the ATO will not be looking to penalise businesses that encounter problems. ""Overall, I think we will see that businesses are pretty well prepared,"" he said. ""Now look, there's going to be some teething problems and some businesses won't be all the way there. ""And that's why we've made it clear that when we go out and visit businesses afterwards, we're going to take account of the fact that this is the biggest change in our system, and we don't want to penalise people - we just want to help them out into the future."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" In Indonesia, rescuers have located some survivors of a ship which sank while carrying about 400 passengers, all refugees fleeing sectarian violence. A radio message from one of the rescue vessels indicates some passengers are alive, but there is no confirmation of how many. The ship, the Cahaya Bahari, sank yesterday afternoon on a voyage from Halmahera island on the strife torn Maluku Islands to the city of Manado. It was licenced to carry 270 passengers but those who witnessed the departure said there were as many as 400 people on board, refugees, mainly women and children fleeing fighting in the village of Duma. Last week about 100 people were killed in the village after an attack by Muslim fighters. This is the second tragedy involving a vessel carrying refugees from the Malukus. In May, another ship capsized in a storm, killing 40 passengers who were fleeing Ambon. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A former chairperson of Amnesty International says indigenous Australians have every right to protest during the Sydney Olympics. Ross Daniels was the international chairperson of the human rights group from 1992 to 1996. Speaking in Cairns as part of the region's Peace Week activities, Mr Daniels says the Olympics are an opportunity to highlight issues such as mandatory sentencing. ""These are really profound issues and everyone is more than aware of the issues relating to indigenous peoples. ""Now, if people cannot get a fair go and a just deal by using internal processes then they are perfectly entitled to use whatever external events come their way to promote their particular grievances and their causes. If that's done around the Olympic Games, then so be it,"" he said."

" There are still 2.6 million tickets available to the Sydney Olympics. The International Olympic Committee board member overseeing Sydney's preparations, Jacques Rogge, says overall he is happy with how sales are going but he would like sales to pick up further. ""1.9 [million] for the Sydney-based sports and 0.7 [million] for the football interstate venues [Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra and Melbourne]. That's million. Yes 2.6 million. ""I'd love to be able to tell you that there is just two tickets available but that's not going to be the case,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Another hitch has appeared in plans to elect a new prime minister in Solomon Islands. The Governor-General had announced that the Parliament would meet on board an Australian Navy ship anchored off Honiara tomorrow morning to make its decision. The announcement followed the Parliament's failure to meet yesterday, after more than half its members, mostly Government MPs, boycotted the vote because of fears over their safety. Now, the Opposition says its members will boycott tomorrow's meeting because it is being held on what they describe as ""foreign soil"". The rebels who took over the capital and forced the prime minister to resign, have warned they may escalate the crisis after the failure of Parliament to convene. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A small but noisy protest by Burmese pro-democracy supporters has ended with calls for the Australian Government not to conduct human rights training in Rangoon. The protest, organised by the Free Burma Action Group, occupied NSW Liberal Party headquarters in Sydney for a short period this afternoon, until police ejected them. Protester Peter Murphy said Australian taxpayers would be outraged to learn $500,000 is to be spent teaching human rights to military intelligence officers. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released its latest figures on crime, showing a rise in murder rates. Assault cases rose but the number of robbery victims has dropped. The ABS reports the number of murder victims for 1998/99 rose by 20 per cent. However, the increase is largely attributed to the multiple bodies discovered in the Snowtown murder case in South Australia and two family murder-suicides in Western Australia. The number of assault victims rose by two per cent, with the Northern Territory recording the highest rate. Queensland recorded the highest rate of sexual assaults although, across Australia, there was a marginal drop in cases. The number of robbery victims around the country dropped by just over five per cent. New South Wales Bureau of Crime Statistics head Don Weatherburn says: ""There's no 'one safest state'; New South Wales has the worst robbery problem; Western Australia has the worst break and enter problem."" ""So each state has different kinds of crime problems - there's no one state that's got the worst of everything,"" he said."

" Excavation teams working in a goldfields mine where three men are trapped have removed nearly all the fill from the level directly above the site of the accident. The rescue operation is continuing at the Bronzewing gold mine, 400 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie-Boulder, despite there being little chance the men are still alive. Ninety-five percent of the rock, mud and other debris which flowed into a section of the central underground orebody on Monday has now been removed in an attempt to locate the men. Normandy, the owner of the Bronzewing, mine says the cause of the incident has not yet been determined and operations have been suspended while the search and recovery continues."

" The Federal Government is to refer an increase in bank fees, announced by Westpac today, to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission (ACCC). The banking industry is expected to reap millions of dollars in savings from the new tax system. But Westpac has announced increases in its transaction fees, saying the new tax system will cost it $66 million a year on top of a one-off compliance charge of $25 million. The Assistant Federal Treasurer, Rod Kemp, has told Senate Question Time the Government is very concerned about the development. ""Mr Hockey, the responsible Minister, is concerned about this matter and my understanding is that he will refer the matter about Westpac fees to the ACCC,"" he said."

" The Federal Employment Services Minister, Tony Abbott, says he is unaware of a document urging Centrelink staff to take a hard line with jobseekers in Sydney during the Olympic year. The briefing note advises staff to tell jobseekers if they cannot get a job in Sydney this year they never will and they are not really trying. Mr Abbott says he believes the Olympic Games in Sydney do offer a great opportunity for jobseekers, but he has not seen the note to Centrelink staff. ""I'm not aware of it and I don't imagine that it would be something that had been run by Ministers,"" he said. ""What I'm saying is that economic conditions in Sydney have never been more buoyant and jobseekers ought to make the most of them while they last. ""Certainly now is the chance to go out and drive unemployment in Sydney back down to levels that were last seen in the 1950s and 1960s."""

" Rescue teams at a mine in the West Australian goldfields say it could be weeks before three men trapped in an underground shaft are located. The workers aged 21, 26 and 45 were buried by mud, water and rocks when a retaining wall collapsed at the Bronzewing Goldmine 400 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie. It took 24 hours for the area to be stabilised after 18,000 cubic metres of earth and water gushed into the shaft about half a kilometre below ground on Monday afternoon. The company which owns Bronzewing, Normandy Mining, has conceded it is unlikely the men have survived the accident. But rescue crews have worked throughout the night clearing the debris whcih the company says would have filled the shaft in seconds. Three inspectors from the Department of Minerals and Energy are contining their investigation into the accident. ----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Queensland police say they will keep searching today for a man they want to question over the Childers backpacker fire. The bodies of the 15 backpackers who died in the fire are now in Brisbane for identification. The police and fire service have wound up their investigation in Childers and the burnt out hostel remains quiet and empty this morning. The investigation is in the hands of the coroner, who has ordered that the identities of the dead not be released until they have been confirmed. Relatives of the victims are reported to be arriving in Childers over the next few days. This Sunday, Princess Anne will also visit the scene of what's become an international tragedy. Police Inspector Phil Wardrope says the investigation is now focusing on the search for Robert Long, a 37-year-old man police descibe as a witness, seen in the building just before the fire. ""If he sees or hears or reads any of these media releases, I ask him to come forward and contact the police and we will certainly go to wherever he wishes and speak to him,"" Inspector Wardrope said. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's Lleyton Hewitt has suffered a shock defeat in round one at Wimbledon. Hewitt's defeat was the biggest upset. The seventh seed, touted as a big threat to reigning champion Pete Sampras, went out in straight sets to American Jan-Michael Gambill, ranked 49th in the world. Hewitt lost his match 6-3, 6-2, 7-5. Last week Hewitt won the warm-up event at Queen's Club. Meanwhile, more Australian tennis players have been losing than winning so far in first round matches at Wimbledon. Others to go out are Andrew Ilie, Mark Woodforde, Richard Fromberg, Paul Kilderry, Dejan Petrovic and Nicole Pratt. The Australian winners were Pat Rafter, Mark Philippoussis, Todd Woodbridge, Alicia Molik and Jelena Dokic. Philippoussis defeated Austria's Jurgen Melzer in four sets. Another Australian to win in the first round was teenager Jelena Dokic, who beat Germany's Greta Arn in straight sets. Meanwhile, Andre Agassi won his opening match but refused to look ahead to the looming battle with Spain on clay in the Davis Cup semi-finals. The second-seeded American advanced when teenaged compatriot Taylor Dent quit with an injury in the fourth set after winning the first. Agassi advanced with a 2-6, 6-3, 6-0, 4-0 result."

" Police, fire and forensic crews have finished searching the burnt shell of the Childers backpackers hostel. Investigators are now contentrating on the search for a man they think can help them find the cause of the disaster. Police have removed the bodies of 15 young backpackers who perished in the fire last Friday. They now want to question Robert Long, a 37-year-old man who they believe was near the scene when the fire first started. There has been one postive sighting of Mr Long in farmland near Childers but a search today failed to find him. Floral tributes continue to arrive in the town, with a memorial being built at a bench across the road from the Palace Backpackers Hostel. Princess Anne will visit the scene on Sunday to meet survivors and relatives. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Democrats say it is now more important than ever that Australia passes laws to protect against discrimination based on genetic tests. Researchers from more than 18 countries have announced they have unravelled 97 per cent of the human genetic code and they believe the discoveries will lead to advances in fighting disease. But the Democrats' biotechnology spokeswoman, Natasha Stott-Despoja, says the information could also be used against people applying for jobs or health insurance. She says the Government has so far ignored her genetic privacy bill but it must now support the legislation. ""The excuse from the Government then was it's a future issue, we don't have to deal with it, but now it's a here and now issue,"" she said. ""President Clinton's announcement last night should provide the impetus I think for the Australian Government to act. ""If it doesn't, we're going to be not only luddites in the eyes of the world, but we could have some real problems with people's personal genetic information."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Olympic torch has made a successful trip underwater. The flame burned brightly throughout the 60-second trip on the Great Barrier Reef. The cauldron-lighting ceremony at Palm Cove, north of Carins, took place on the front deck of a catamaran. The boat then sailed to Aegaean Court Reef, where marine biologist Wendy Craig-Duncan was waiting with a specially made torch to take the flame underwater. It went off without a hitch: the bright orange flame could be seen from the surface and the bubbles from Ms Craig-Duncan's scuba gear were accompanied by smoke as the environmentally friendly gases made their way to the surface. The torch is now on its way to Port Douglas. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Three men are trapped 460 metres below ground in Western Australia's goldfields region after a mine caved in. The men, aged between 21 and 46, were working at Yandell's Bronzewing mine near Leinster, about 400 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie. Inspector Bill Todd says mud and water flowed into the mine about 5:00pm AWST yesterday. ""Mine fill has been stored up and barricaded against the side of the mine in one of the cabins there,"" he said. ""It appears that water has come through the side of the mine and washed all the mud and the fill down into the 13th and 14th levels of the mine."" Emergency workers are pumping the material out of the mine. Families of the missing men are receiving counselling. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The future of Australia's defence force will come under the spotlight today with the Prime Minister to release a defence discussion paper. The paper will increase Australia's strategic focus on South-east Asia and the South Pacific. The emphasis on defence of the Australian continent, in place since the end of the Vietnam war, will be broadened to look at military roles in South-east Asia and the South Pacific. That may mean the Australian Army may be less able to operate further afield with the United States. But the paper rejects the New Zealand option, saying that to structure for peacekeeping would only make for a third-rate military. The chief of the defence force, Admiral Chris Barrie, has already rejected the view of his predecessors that 50,000 people in uniform is the minimum needed for a credible force. ""That figure lies a couple of thousand under 50,000 if I was to be ruthless about it,"" he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Mr Beattie also moved to reassure international and domestic visitors who are considering travelling to Queensland. ""We would clearly want to provide that assurance to the international and national community that this is not only a safe place to visit, and a friendly place to visit, but people are safe here. ""And the only way you retain that international reputation is to ensure that there is a full investigation and that appropriate action is taken to ensure this doesn't happen again,"" he said."

" Queensland Emergency Services Minister Steven Robertson says he will set up a task force to further investigate the cause of the fire and to provide him with advice. Speaking from Childers, Mr Robertson says not since the 1973 fire at the Whiskey-A-Go-Go nightclub in Brisbane has such a tragedy been seen. ""You don't want to make comparisons but obviously 1973 is the last incident that most Queenslanders would remember, where 13 people died. ""More people have died in this incident so I don't think we've probably seen anything like this before in Queensland,"" he said."

" The Employment Services Minister, Tony Abbott, has admitted he is pushing Centrelink to ensure fewer appeals by job seekers succeed in overturning punishments for breaches. The agency has a system of punishment for job seekers who do not comply with their obligations to look for work. Mr Abbott has rejected claims a quota has been imposed on Centrelink after a contract emerged showing the agency is required to ensure no more than 15 per cent of breaches are overturned. But he does admit to figures designed as a method of quality control to make sure Centrelink is imposing the penalties. ""We would expect that in at least 60 per cent of those cases Centrelink would impose a breach and in 75 per cent of cases where Centrelink does impose a breach that breach is sustained, it's not overturned on appeal,"" he said."

" A section of the Workplace Relations Act prohibiting third party interference in enterprise bargaining negotiations could soon be tested in the courts. The National Tertiary Education Union has filed a statement of claim in the Federal Court in Melbourne, accusing the Education Minister, David Kemp, of such interference. The union's Grahame McCulloch says the Government's offer to fund a 2 per cent salary increase for staff at those universities which implement workplace reform, including non-union agreements, is coercive. ""We've already seen the courts act in a number of other instances to limit the extent to which the Commonwealth and employers can attempt to coerce and or discriminate against trade unionists. ""We've decided the time's come for us to test that section of the law as well,"" he said."

" There have been calls to remove children held in Australia's immigration detention centres following allegations of sexual abuse. Two Iraqi men from the Curtin Detention Centre in Western Australia's Kimberley have been charged with sexual abuse of children. Marion Le, from the Independent Council for Refugee Advocacy, says at the very least children should be segregated and protected from the threat of abuse. Ms Le says legislation is in place to remove children that are at risk of abuse but it is not being used. ""We've basically called for a review of the situation in the detention centres where children are being held with adults in close confinement and asked the Minister to release families with children into the community at least while they are being processed,"" she said."

" New economic data out today shows Australia's economy is continuing to grow strongly. The figures have done little to assist a lazy Australian dollar. The Westpac Melbourne Institute leading index of economic activity, was 4.2 per cent in April, above its trend growth rate of 3.9 per cent. Bill Evans, Westpac's general manager of economics, says growth should continue at around the 4 per cent mark for the next six to nine months. But he says that should not put any pressure on raising interest rates. ""I think the interest rate policy is very much focused on what's going to be happening a year ahead and we believe next year the economy will be slowing,"" he said. But the strong growth figures have failed to inject life into the Aussie dollar which has been losing value since yesterday's local close. At noon it was trading around 59.95 US cents."

" Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party has lost its majority in Japan's House of Representatives. But it has won enough seats to continue to govern as part of a coalition. Japan's Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori has fallen seven seats short of his target of a bare majority. After an early-hours meeting with his two coalition partners, he announced he will not resign but will be governing in a coalition which will have a majority. Japan's Opposition Democratic Party gained some 30 seats, but not enough to unseat the coalition. Japan's Liberal Democratic Party has been in office in and out of coalition for all but 10 months of the last 46 years. It was aided this time by the second-lowest voter turnout on record. Only 63 per cent of the electorate voted. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Voting has finished in Zimbabwe's parliamentary elections. But President Mugabe's ruling party claims it will not step aside regardless of the result. Now begins the nervous wait. After a peaceful weekend of voting there are fears Zimbabwe could return to political violence. More than 30 people died in the lead-up to this poll which has been the most fiercely contested since independence. The main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, believes it has the momentum to win government. But the ruling ZANU-PF party is vowing to hang on to power. Its chairman John Nkomo says President Robert Mugabe has the right to appoint anyone he wishes to the government. He says Mr Mugabe will not be influenced by which side wins a majority. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Authorities are preparing to remove the bodies of the Childers fire victims from the charred shell of the Palace Backpackers Hostel. Police say they have revised the list of 15 people staying in the hostel who are missing and feared dead. Seven are from the United Kingdom, three from Australia, three from the Netherlands, one from Korea and one from Japan. It is feared there may be up to three others missing, who were staying at the hotel but were not registered. Emergency crews are still on stand-by with some small fires re-igniting in the building overnight. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" An inquest has begun into the deaths of the 58 Chinese immigrants found in the back of a truck at the port of Dover earlier this week. The hearing has been told how the immigrants frantically tried to raise the alarm as the air in the lorry's sealed container began to run out. The coroner's officer, Graham Perrin, told the inquest that no-one responded when the immigrants banged on the side of the container with their shoes after an air vent controlled from outside the lorry was closed off and they started running short of oxygen. Mr Perrin told the hearing that the air vent had been closed before the lorry went onto a ferry at Zeebrugge in Belgium, which meant that most of the immigrants would have died during the trip across the English Channel. Mr Perrin said it was amazing that there had been two survivors, which he put down to the fact that more air became available inside the container with the death of each of its occupants. Police are still trying to identify the victims, but they have now ruled out the possibility that those on the truck were from a similar size group of illegal Chinese immigrants who had been detained and filmed in Belgium in April. Meanwhile, the Dutch driver, Perry Wacker, who has been charged with the manslaughter of the 58 victims, has been remanded in custody for seven days. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Government is being warned of the risk from an overseas outbreak of the highly infectious foot and mouth livestock disease. There is no cure for foot and mouth, and the only way of eradicating it is to destroy the herd and animals on surrounding properties. A new strain from the Middle East has hit Taiwan, Korea and Japan, which have been free of the disease for many years. Australia's livestock industry has been free of foot and mouth for more than a century, but animal health authorities are warning the Federal Government that they must be vigilant as the risk of it entering Australia is rising. Dr Harvey Westbury, from the CSIRO's Animal Health Laboratory at Geelong, says the growth of backpacker tourism in Asia, particularly Laos, is a key concern. ""Foot and mouth occurs all over the place in that country and if backpackers just packed up their boots and came back home without taking the necessary precautions, like sterilising those boots, there is the potential of them bringing back the virus on those boots,"" he said. ""Foot and mouth disease is the most contagious disease in the human and veterinary medicine world, so it spreads like wildfire."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A wooden Indonesian fishing vessel carrying 112 suspected illegal immigrants has been detained overnight at Ashmore Reef, off the north coast of Western Australia. The Australian Customs Service detected the vessel yesterday and warned its crew not to cross into Australian waters. Customs service spokesman Leon Bedington says a customs patrol vessel, the Wauri, intercepted the boat later in the afternoon. ""When it crossed into Australian territorial waters and was detained at Ashmore Islands overnight...a decision was made on how best to transfer the people to Australia. ""It'll be some time, of course, depending if they are escorted in before they reach Australia and immigration officials can process them,"" he said. The people on board, including two infants, are believed to be from the Middle East."

" The District Court in Perth has heard a 43-year-old woman accused of causing burns to a baby girl sounded calm when she called the child's mother home from work. Former baby sitter Jillian Marie Lukin is on trial accused of causing life-threatening burns to seven month Nicolle Tormey by putting her in a bath that was too hot. Today, the baby's mother, Denise Ludwig, said she had received a phone call at the family's cafe in Kellerberin to say that Nicolle had a little burn on her foot. Ms Ludwig said during the phone call Ms Lukin seemed very calm and did not express any urgency or concern. The court has been told the baby suffered burns to 20 per cent of her body and requires ongoing medical treatment."

" The Los Angeles Lakers have won this year's National Basketball Association title, beating the Indiana Pacers 116-111 in game six of the finals series in Los Angeles. The Lakers won the best-of-seven series 4-2 to win their first title for 12 years. Shaquille O'Neal scored 41 points and pulled in 12 rebounds."

" The Federal Government is not ruling out an extention of the July 1 health fund deadline. Anyone over 30 who has not taken out private health insurance by the end of this month will pay higher premiums for every year they delay joining a fund. A vigorous campaign by health funds has drawn a huge response with thousands of people rushing to join by July 1. But last minute applications are so numerous the Government has not ruled out extending the deadline, to help the funds cope with the situation. Already the Government has indicated those who can demonstrate a commitment to private health insurance, but who are in short term financial difficulty, will be able to join a health fund without penalty premiums after July 1. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Fijian military and coup leader George Speight have appointed lawyers to draft an agreement for an interim government. Both sides appear to be close to finalising the composition of a civilian cabinet. Fiji's national broadcaster is reporting that lawyers are already on hand to draw up a legal accord setting out the interim government and the handover of rule. The martial law authorities say both sides are still to decide on a time frame for the military to relinquish power. The military government has also indicated Fiji's public servants may have to take a 20 per cent pay cut, or even redundancy if the economy continues to deteriorate. The International Confederacy of Free Trade Unions has set up a food fund to help feed workers made redundant because of the political crisis. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A key consumer group suggests people avoid non-essential shopping on June 30 or July 1, to avoid confusion arising from a range of ticketing in the move to the goods and services tax (GST). While prices will change at midnight on June 30, retailers have another 10 days to change shelf labels and till the end of July to show all GST-inclusive prices. Some stores opt for dual-ticketing of pre and post-GST prices, while others may even do the complete switch on June 30. Food retailing giants Woolworths and Coles are both changing over late on Friday, June 30, with Woolworths closing early for the purpose. Norm Carruthers of the Australian Consumers Association says major retailers have prepared extra staff, signs and brochures, but he still expects considerable confusion. ""Many consumers will probably find it quite confusing when they go into stores on the 30th, when many of the supermarkets in particular start to make their changeover to shelf prices,"" he said. ""And still on Saturday the first, it's likely to be some changeover going on throughout that day, so might be wise for a lot of the consumers who do not really have to shop on the Friday, or the Saturday to avoid those couple of days, shop earlier, shop later."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A federal parliamentary inquiry has backed the continued expansion of the genetic engineering industry in Australia. The House of Representatives committee has made 37 recommendations for improving the regulation and safety of the industry, attracting investment and building public understanding of the issues involved. But Independent MP Peter Andren has lodged a dissenting report. Mr Andren says a five-year moratorium is needed to assess whether Australia would be better-off without genetically-engineered agriculture. ""The AMA [Australian Medical Association] and other bodies say that the jury is well and truly out on the benefits and the consequences, so I'm suggesting that we'd be very wise to place a moratorium on this until we get it right,"" he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's Lleyton Hewitt has firmed to second favourite for the Wimbledon tennis championships starting next week. Hewitt is 6-1 after his victory over Pete Sampras in the final of the Queen's tournament in London. However, Sampras is the 11-8 favourite to win his seventh Wimbledon title in eight years. Of the other leading Australians, Mark Philippoussis has been listed at 14-1, while Pat Rafter is rated an outside chance at 20-1."

" The Federal Opposition has accused the Government of breaking a promise not to impose the goods and services tax (GST) on residential rents, in its application of the levy on caravan park sites. The issue dominated the National Party conference at the weekend with some members concerned they may suffer at the next election if the Government does not remove the charge. Government leader in the Senate, Robert Hill, says Labor is mistaken in its claim of a broken promise. He told the Senate the situation for long term renters stays the same, but a compromise was developed for caravan parks. ""In relation to caravan parks which include a mixture of short term and long term residents a different formula applies but equity has remained,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) says a breakfast cereal with genetically engineered ingredients would not need to be labelled as such, under the Prime Minister's proposal for labelling. The proposal would allow foods with small amounts of genetically modified ingredients not to be labelled. The ACF's Gene Ethics Network says Kellogg's All-Bran Soy 'n Fibre Cereal, already on the market, is one product that would escape being labelled. The Network's Bob Phelps says most Australians want labelling, and he is calling on Kellogg's to do it voluntarily: ""We've written to the company today. We've asked them to acknowledge that their product may be contaminated. It may have happened somewhere in the process, even by accident,"" he said. ""In good faith now we think that industry should begin now to label its genetically engineered products without the Government requiring them. ""There should be voluntary labelling of genetically engineered foods now."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Prime Minister John Howard is showing no signs of backing away from a goods and services tax (GST) on caravan park rents. Under the new tax system, site fees for permanent caravan park residents will increase by about 5.5 per cent. The issue dominated this weekend's National Party conference, with leader John Anderson expected to take the matter to a parliamentary party meeting. Mr Howard says the tax will stay and has played down the fears of National Party MPs in marginal seats who fear they will lose the next election over the issue. ""In marginal seats, as in other seats, people make up their mind on a whole range of issues,"" he said. ""And one of the things they ask themselves, more frequently than anything else in the end, is `which government will be better for Australia?',"" he said. ""If we can persuade Australia at the end of next year that we'll be better for the country than the alternative, then they'll vote for us."" Meanwhile, the Shadow Minister for Community Services, Wayne Swan, will not say if Labor would remove the goods and services tax (GST) from caravan site rents if elected. Mr Swan says it is discriminatory to charge the GST on caravan rent, but says it would be silly for Labor to announce the details of its roll back on the tax in a piecemeal fashion. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Health Insurance Association says people with private health cover can look forward to a long period without premium rises. The statement was made after figures released at the weekend showed a big jump in member numbers. The Health Insurance Association says while constant price increases for private health cover had led to a decline in membership, Federal Government initiatives have seen almost a 250,000 people sign up for insurance in April and May. The record jump in membership has taken the number to 6.4 million people. The association's executive director, Russell Schneider, says now that a third of the population has cover, it should be able to keep a lid on premium rises. ""As prices have gone up and people dropped out, that increased the cost more and more and more in a vicious cycle,"" he said. ""That vicious cycle has been broken, and I think we can look forward to a long period of relatively stable prices."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" After a weekend of lengthy debate, the United Nations has endorsed secretary-general Kofi Annan's declaration that Israel has completed its withdrawal from Lebanon. The UN Security Council declaration was due earlier, but was held up by Russia, which was insisting that Lebanon had to be satisfied the withdrawal was complete. Beirut has disputed the UN recognised borderline between itself and Israel, and claims Israeli troops remain on its soil. In a gesture towards Russia, the council read a statement saying some violations may have occurred. The endorsement clears the way for Mr Annan to fly to Lebanon for discussions on the UN peacekeeping force, now due for deployment in southern Lebanon. The area was under Israeli control for more than 20 years, until a unilateral pullout of Israeli forces last month. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Queensland Premier says he will meet with industry leaders on Monday to rethink the state's fuel subsidy scheme. Premier Peter Beattie has backed down on plans to replace the fuel subsidy scheme with cheaper car registration fees, following a barrage of public complaints. He says he is now considering a new scheme, which would see the Government pass on the fuel subsidy directly to petrol station owners. Mr Beattie says under the proposal, the 8.3-cents-a-litre scheme would be passed on directly to motorists at the bowser. He says the motorist's watchdog, the Price Watch Task Force, would play a key role in ensuring motorists receive the full benefit of the subsidy. The four-point petrol plan was scrapped after a Government telephone poll showed clear opposition to the proposal. ""I mean I will make mistakes and clearly this is one of them, but I am prepared to learn from what people have said to me and go back and get it right, and that's what I will do,"" he said. But Queensland Opposition leader Rob Borbidge believes Mr Beattie is not sincere and the backdown is only temporary. ""That only has weight that only carries water this side of the next state election,"" Mr Borbidge said. ""It's very clear Mr Beattie wanted to scrap the scheme, but for political considerations he decided that he would not proceed."""

" RACQ external relations manager Gary Fites has commended Mr Beattie for listening to the concerns of the public and industry groups. ""We have known for the past week in fact that people have been very concerned at the very least about the Government's proposal to scrap the subsidy scheme,"" he said. ""Full marks to the Premier for getting out there and listening to people who have told him the same thing."""

" Fiji's military government has set a timetable to restore democracy and hold fresh elections within two years. The military ruler, Frank Bainimarama, has briefed the Commonwealth on the planned return to constitutional rule. A Commonwealth delegation left Fiji last night with assurances that the military regime is committed to reinstating democratic government under a multiracial constitution that upholds the rights of both Indian and indigenous Fijians. The Commodore has also pledged to establish a civilian government as soon as the coup leader, George Speight, releases his 31 hostages. He has again ruled out any role for Mr Speight in the interim government. But Australia's Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, who was part of the delegation, says two years is still too long and the military leaders should aim for a much faster return to democracy. ""It is very important that Fiji returns to democracy as quickly as possible,"" he said. ""As quickly as possible means precisely that. If it could happen much more quickly than two years we'd be pleased and we urge that on Commodore Bainimarama and I hope he takes note of that."" The 31 hostages are now into their fifth week in captivity. Fiji's Labour Ministry says more than 4,000 workers in Fiji have lost their jobs since the crisis began, with most in tourism, manufacturing and textiles. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Authorities in Montenegro say they have arrested several people responsible for an assassination attempt on Serbian Opposition leader Vuk Draskovic. Mr Draskovic says the regime of Slobodan Milosevic was behind yesterday's assassination attempt. Officials in the Government claim the shooting could have been a publicity stunt. Mr Draskovic is now back at his seaside home with bandages covering the two superficial wounds to his head received when two gunman fired at him through his window late on Thurday night. Mr Draskovic says he has no doubt that the Yugoslav secret police were behind the attack and that they were acting on orders from the Yugoslav President, Slobodan Milosevic. Mr Draskovic says it is the regime's second attempt on his life in less than a year. Last October he claimed the regime was responsible for a car accident that left him wounded and killed four others. He says only a miracle saved him from death this time but government officials say the whole incident could have been designed to win Mr Draskovic some much needed publicity. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Zimbabwe's President, Robert Mugabe, has denied reports that he is planning to seize foreign-owned mines. Mr Mugabe says he simply wants blacks to share in the wealth of the mining sector. He says the Zimbabwean Government has been working with mining companies to open up to black entreprenuers. Mr Mugabe was quoted in a British newspaper on Thursday as saying that the mining sector could be targeted for what he described as ""Africanisation"". However, he now says his remarks have been distorted. The controversy comes only a week before Zimbabwe is scheduled to stage parliamentary elections. The lead-up to the vote has seen violence and the takeover of white-owned farms. The Government has now earmarked more than 800 farms for seizure. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" India's Sports Minister says high-profile Indian cricket figures should step aside until they are cleared of match-fixing allegations. Disgraced South African captain Hansie Cronje has named Mohammed Azharuddin as the man who introduced him to a bookie during a South African tour of India in 1996. Sports Minister Sukhdev Singh Dhinsa is calling for Azharuddin to stop playing Test cricket until his name is cleared. He adds that current coach, Kapil Dev, should also step down until proven innocent of separate match-fixing claims, saying that it is for the good of the game. ""I'm very much concerned as the Sports Minister... even the whole nation is very much concerned, because that's a bad name for the country,"" he said. He says it is up to the law to deal with any cricketers found guilty of match-fixing, and that if need be, the Indian Parliament should pass new legislation to deal with the problem. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Mr Anderson has indicated he might talk to the Prime Minister about the GST to be paid by permanent caravan park residents. Mr Anderson says the Government has already considered the issue, but he will discuss the conference's decision with his colleagues and, possibly, John Howard. ""I will consult with my colleagues, of course, and depending on the outcome talk to perhaps the Prime Minister as I've done in times past. ""It becomes my responsibility to respond back to the NSW branch of the party with any final determination."" The Community Services Minister, Larry Anthony, says he has no intention of resigning over the levying of the GST on rents paid by caravan park residents. Mr Anthony, whose electorate includes many caravan park residents, says he will stay in the Government to help bring in tax reform. ""I have never said that I would resign. Indeed that's an interpretation by the media,"" he said. ""The best value I can serve the Government is in the current portfolio that I have of Community Services and also putting through the enormous positive reforms that we're doing for the Australian people which will particularly come into play after July 1."""

" The Australian dollar has hit a new two-month high, as overseas investors continue to reverse their negative perceptions of our currency. The dollar peaked at 60.91 US cents earlier this afternoon, on broad-based buying. It is now back to 60.7 US, still more than half a cent up on this morning. On the cross rates, the dollar is at 40.06 sterling, 64.53 yen and 1.247 German marks. It is at $NZ1.271 and 0.637 euros. The dollar is at 53.4 on the trade weighted index. The local share market has closed a touch higher in lacklustre trade, but was buoyed by good rises in BHP and Rio Tinto. The All Ordinaries index closed up seven points, to 3,097, after the Dow Jones added 27 points, to 10,715 and the Nasdaq rose 48 to 3,846. Locally, BHP rose 43 cents, or 2 per cent, to $18.89, thanks to recent strength in the oil price and general earnings optimism. Managing director Paul Anderson today said he was talking to the Competition and Consumer Commission about a range of options for its stake, currently at 14 per cent in Email. Rio Tinto surged $1.00 to $25.90, after a jump in the aluminium price in London trade, but Delta Gold fell another nine cents to $1.15. Other key blue-chips finished lower with Telstra, down four cents to $6.66, Telstra Two down five cents to $3.66, moving closer to its all-time low of $3.53. News Corp shed seven cents to $22.38, the National Australia Bank rose 27 cents to $25.85 and the Commonwealth Bank continued its choppy ride, up 20 cents to $26.80. The price of gold is $US289.45, down 40 cents on this morning."

" The Solomon Islands' Governor-General, Sir John Eni Lapli, has announced that the national Parliament will not be sitting tomorrow as previously expected. In a short address to the nation, Sir John also said he has received the resignation of Prime Minister Bartholemew Ulafa'alu, which will become effective from this afternoon. Sir John thanked Prime Minister Ulufa'alu for his service to the country and, in a reference to the Malaita Eagle Force, he appealed to those who, he says, are in charge of the security of Honiara to allow for a peaceful atmosphere to prevail. He says Parliament should be able to sit to elect a new Prime Minister without MPs feeling under duress. He says the Parliament session set down for tomorrow to debate a motion of no confidence in Mr Ulufa'alu would not go ahead. He says he will announce at a later date when the Parliament will sit next, and it is understood he will consult with the Speaker to decide when that should be."

" Victorian police have discovered the body of a Federal Labor MP in a car in Gippsland in the state's east this morning. The body of Greg Wilton, 45, was discovered at 9:30am AEST at Labertouche. Police say there are no suspicous circumstances. Mr Wilton has been in Parliament since 1996. He was arrested in May after police feared for the safety of his two children, both aged under five. Following his arrest, Mr Wilton had himself admitted to hospital. It is not clear at this stage when Mr Wilton left the hospital."

" New research estimates that every day in Australia 133 women over the age of 60 suffer a fracture resulting from osteoporosis. The discovery, by Sydney's Garvan Institute of Medical Research, has prompted the launch of a new nationwide campaign urging those at risk to seek medical advice before the first fracture. Former Olympian and campaign spokeswoman Marjorie Jackson says she only became aware of the problem when a test revealed her bone density was bordering on the danger zone. ""I think it sort of shocked me to think that all the sport I had done [and I] could develop osteoporosis,"" she said. ""I really didn't know much about it, other than it was broken bones, so then I got to reading about what it could do and I've decided every two years to have a bone density test."""

" Personalised cancer vaccines are being trialled by scientists at the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. The treatment works by using a patient's own cells to create an immune response. Chief scientist Dr Andrew Nicol says while the approach has been tried before, the vaccines had to be manufactured overseas. He says the vaccines can now be developed in Australia, making it easier to see if the treatment is effective against the spread of cancer. The vaccines are currently being tested on patients with a range of cancers, including melanoma and leukaemia."

" Late Syrian president Hafez al-Assad has been laid to rest in his home village in the country's north after a day-long state funeral. The funeral provided the first opportunity for the United States to raise the issue of peace with Israel with the man expected to assume the Syrian presidency. Hafez al-Assad, for 30-years a figure towering over Syrian life, was laid to rest in Al Quedahar after a procession that saw demonstrations of political support and at times hysterical grief among hundreds of thousands of mourners. Most Arab heads of state paid respect as the president's coffin lay in state at the presidential palace in Damascus, shile the majority of Western heads of state chose not to attend the funeral. United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright met the late president's son, Bashar, who is certain to be the next president, raising with him the legacy of his father's peace negotiations. Doctor Bashar said that he would continue on that same road. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Air Services Australia has confirmed that two air-traffic controllers have been stood down pending investigations into two near misses over Brisbane and Alice Springs. Air Services spokesman Richard Dudley says passenger jets were involved in both incidents and internal navigation equipment inside the planes alerted pilots to possible collisions. ""I can confirm that there were two separate incidents - one in air space to the south of Brisbane and one over central Australia where a breakdown of separation of those aircraft occurred on both occasions,"" he said. ""On both occasions the air traffic controllers have been stood down as part of normal procedure pending an internal Air Services Australia investigation and an external independent investigation by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Large crowds have massed in the main square of the Syrian capital Damascus for the start of the State Funeral of the late President, Hasaf al-Assad, who died on Saturday. The elaborate funeral will last a full day. Artillery rounds have already rung out through the Syrian capital as the President's body was brought to the Ummayyad Square, from where it will be flown to a city near his home town, where there will be a lengthy procession. Foreign heads of state and other dignatories have travelled to Syria for the funeral. Large groups including bare-chested men slashed by razors have lined the procession route in Damascus, chanting prayers for the President, and for the man prepared for succession, his son Bashar al-Assad."

" It has been suggested business confidence in Australia has now dropped to below the levels recorded during the Asian economic crisis. A survey by the National Australia Bank is among a flurry of research indicating increased business pessimism. The bank's May business survey shows a significant deterioration in business conditions. Trading and profitability are showing the greatest downturn, while employment is flat. As measured by the bank's index, conditions are the worst since September 1998. But the slide in confidence is even greater, now below the levels registered at the height of the Asian crisis. The impending goods and services tax, higher interest rates and lower profits are given as the reasons. The bank says pressure on the Reserve Bank to raise interest rates again has clearly diminished."

" Police are investigating the deaths of two students in the Blue Mountains on the weekend. The two were among a group of nine from the University of Newcastle who had set out on Saturday for a canyoning expedition in the Kanangra Boyd National Park. Newcastle University has confirmed the two dead men, both in their 20s, were members of the Mountaineering Club who had been planning a weekend of abseiling and caving in the rugged area. The University says all members of the group were experienced, well-prepared and the trip was carefully planned. A spokesperson for the police, Alan Small, says the alarm was raised when they failed to return on time yesterday and a search was mounted this morning. ""It's a very attractive area, very scenic and very popular with bushwalkers, sheer sandstone cliffs, quite rugged country,"" he said. While police will not confirm the circumstances surrounding the incident, it is believed the two men died while abseiling on Saturday night. The seven other members of the group, also in their 20s, remained in the area until they were reached by rescue teams this afternoon and they have since been airlifted out. Police say there will be no attempt to remove the bodies until Wednesday. The accident follows two other deaths in the Blue Mountains during the long weekend. A 20-year-old abseiler slipped and fell from a cliff in Stones National Park near Lithgow on Sunday, and a teenage bushwalker died on Saturday after falling down a steep rock incline near a waterfall at Capertee, also in the Blue Mountains."

" Talks today between the Queensland Government and the Teachers Union have failed to resolve a dispute over pay and conditions, ahead of tomorrow's planned 24-hour strike. The parties were ordered back to the negotiating table during an Industrial Relations Commission hearing in Brisbane last night. However, they still have not agreed on a number of issues and the union says it is pushing ahead with plans for a statewide strike tomorrow."

" A survey of business expectations shows confidence has again slumped in the lead up to next month's introduction of the goods and services tax. More than 1,000 executives took part in the Dun and Bradstreet survey for May - showing downward trends in sales, profits, employment and capital investment since falls were recorded in April. Dun and Bradstreet's managing director Christine Christian says the uncertainty over the tax changes means Australia is heading for a period of much slower economic growth. ""We've seen a slowdown in spending and that has overall affected companies in terms of keeping up their inventory levels,"" she said. ""A lot of businesses hesitate right now as far as creating new jobs, I mean there's a real wait and see feeling within the business community."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright has urged Syria to open itself up to the outside world as it moves beyond the rule of president Hafez al-Assad. The Secretary of State will represent US President Clinton at president al-Assad's funeral in Syria. Dr Albright, who is leading the US delegation to Damascus, says Washington welcomes the apparent smoothness of the transition of power to the late president's son. Dr Albright says she will be looking to meet with Bashar al-Assad and urging him to embrace the cause of regional peace. In March, President Clinton met president Assad, but failed to revive stalled talks between Syria and Israel. Meanwhile, the brother of president al-Assad says he will lead a new ""revolution for democray"" in Syria, accusing Damascus of violating the constitution in propelling Bashar to succeed his father. Rifaat Assad was vice-president of Syria until he had a falling-out with his brother and he now lives in Europe. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" In a dramatic new development in the Solomon Islands crisis, an armed group has taken control of the capital of the country's western province, Gizo. It appears a new ethnic militia that may have the support of factions of the Bougainville Revolutiony Army, this morning raided the Gizo police station and telecommunications facilities. Regular telecommunications to Gizo, Munda and other parts of the western province which borders Bougainville, have been severed. Shortly before the phone links went down, the Solomon Islands provincial police commander for the western province, Aloysius Ora, said 45 heavily armed men, some of them apparently from Bougainville, had taken control of Gizo. He says some of the men were armed with M-16s and declared that they were going to protect the western province against the Malaita Eagles Force. The Malaita Eagles Force is the ethnic militia which took control of Honiara last Monday."

" Meanwhile, evacuations of foreign nationals continue at Honiara's Henderson Airport. A New Zealand air force 727 has flown out with about 90 people on board, including New Zealand Foreign Minister Phil Goff, bound for Auckland. Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has arrived back in Australia on an RAAF jet. Another 40 Australians are still in the airport terminal waiting for a New Zealand Hercules that is to take them to Townsville. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Meanwhile, thousands of Whyalla residents are expected to flock to the foreshore today to mourn the loss of the eight lives. An ecumenical service, including the lighting of eight candles, will be held, before the family of those killed visit the crash site to lay wreaths. The Reverend Michael Hillier, who will oversee the proceedings, says the service will last about 45 minutes. ""We've tried to capture the sense that despite the pain that everyone is experiencing and that darkness that is there nonetheless God is with us and walks with us in our pain and our pain is His pain and the choice of footprints picks that up us well that God walks with us in our grief."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Four National Parks and Wildlife Service officers, injured in a fire at Ku-ring-gai last week, remain in hospital. Natalie Saville, 25, is in intensive care at Concord Hospital but her condition is improving. Luke McSweeney, 26, is in a stable condition in intensive care at Westmead Hospital, while Jamie Shaw, 34, and Mark Cupitt, 32, are listed as critical in Royal North Shore Hospital. The fire, which was set as a routine back-burn, claimed the lives of three of the officers' workmates. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Engineers will check a military plane which developed a mid-air fault on its way to Brisbane last night while carrying Prime Minister John Howard and Opposition Leader Kim Beazley. The VIP plane landed at Brisbane Airport after the pilot reported an engine fire warning light. Airforce spokesman Paul Lynham says no-one was hurt and the military 707 plane touched down safely. ""As luck would have it, Brisbane was the termination for the VIP flight with the PM, so it landed where it was due to land anyway, although there was a bit more pomp [and] ceremony with the fire engines,"" he said. ""The fault was just the faulty indicator light. There was no fire on the PM's aircraft."" The plane was returning from Japan. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock is denying claims that the processing of illegal arrivals takes too long. His comments follow three mass break-outs of inmates at Australian detention centres in South Australia and Western Australia. Speaking on Channel Nine, Mr Ruddock said it is an involved process that simply cannot be rushed. ""Each case is looked at case by case, and they have to be assessed against the lawful criteria and the decisions have to be clearly sustainable,"" he said. ""Those decisions which have been developed, and the decision-making process, which has been developed over a long period of time with the active involvement of the courts, are highly technical, very difficult, involve highly-qualified officers who have to be able to make those decisions. ""We do not have the numbers of people available to process something like 400 people in a matter of weeks."""

" The AFL is considering whether to move matches away from Docklands Stadium because of continuing concerns about the surface. They are not happy with the condition of the outer wing, which some players have dubbed ""death valley"". The AFL says it is too late to move tonight's clash between St Kilda and Hawthorn, but next week's scheduled matches may be played elsewhere. Former North Melbourne player, John Longmire, shares the concerns about the outer wing, and suspects it could be a long-term problem. ""I think it's a concern. They all, everyone's saying 'OK after this season when the turf settles down, it'll be a lot better'. ""Sure enough most of the ground will, but will that area of the ground be a lot better? ""I mean, that is, after all, always going to be in shade"" The AFL will meet with Docklands management this morning to discuss their worries about the state of the ground. Former Collingwood player and ABC commentator, Michael Christian, says the patch is not the only area of the surface causing problems for players. ""We haven't touched on the strip down the middle from goal to goal, but you've almost got to take a six-inch step down off that strip,"" he said. ""That's been laid from goalpost to goalpost, down the middle of the ground, like putting off against the fringe on a putting green."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Further evacuations of foreign nationals are planned from Solomon Islands capital, Honiara, today. The New Zealand Air Force and a Malaysian military plane are expected to fly into Honiara's Henderson Airfield to take them out. The New Zealanders are planning a repeat of yesterday's exercise. A New Zealand Air Force 727 will fly people back to Auckland and a Hercules will take others to Queensland. Malaysia has arranged for one of its military aircraft to fly in to evacuate about 150 Malaysian citizens, many of whom work in the timber industry. Amongst those heading for New Zealand will be several Bougainvilleans married to New Zealanders. They are going following yesterday's incident in the Western Province provincial capital of Gizo where an armed group led by a Bougainvillean killed a part Malaysian man. The Western Province police commander, Aloysius Ora, is quoted on Solomons radio this morning as saying his police station has not been taken over and that he could not take any action against the group because they were so heavily armed. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" One of the United States' top foreign policy experts believes there will be a smooth transition of power in Syria following the death of President Hafez al-Assad. White House envoy to the Middle East Dennis Ross says the key thing for the US is to ensure the door remains open with Damascus. Mr Ross says the Middle East is at a turning point with the death of the Syrian leader, the Israeli withdrawal from south Lebanon and the resumption of Israeli-Palestinian talks in Washington. ""I think there's no question that when you take a look at a region and see that it's changing and you see that there are moments and if the moments aren't seized they get lost,"" he said. ""I suspect that that will add to a sense of urgency on everbody's part."" Palestian leader Yasser Arafat will travel to Washington for talks with President Bill Clinton later this week. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The managing director of Whyalla Airlines has vowed the company will fly again after being grounded by the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) yesterday. The CASA audit was brought forward after eight people were killed when a Whyalla Airlines plane crashed into the Spencer Gulf in South Australia almost two weeks ago. CASA has suspended the airline's operating licence after an in depth audit found the company's pilots had too high a workload and that flight and duty records may have been inaccurate. Whyalla Airlines managing director Chris Brougham has accused CASA of bowing to political pressure to discipline the airline following the recent crash. ""We are not uncomfortable with their decision,"" he said. ""We'd already told CASA we weren't going to fly until they were satisfied with our airline and so the decision they've made hasn't changed that at all."" CASA says its findings should not be seen as a possible cause of the crash. Meanwhile, Whyalla's mayor and police officer, Senior Sergeant John Smith, has condemned CASA for the timing of the announcement which coincided with yesterday's memorial service for the eight victims of the crash. ------------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The head of Herron Pharmaceuticals says a taskforce needs to be set up to examine responses to extortion attempts and to look at gagging the media where appropriate. Euan Murdoch, whose company was the target of an extortion bid earlier this year, says systems need to be in place to reduce the leverage of extortionists. The call comes after a nationwide recall of Panadol products following a similiar extortion attempt. He says while the media is needed to alert the public about product recalls, a taskforce could plan and manage the issue in the public arena. ""To give an example, New South Wales is looking at present whether it's appropriate to gag the media on certain issues. ""It's not appropriate for a corporate entity to make that recommendation, but if a taskforce who was given the authority to review what's an appropriate response came up with that determination, I'm sure most consumers and the public generally would support it,"" he said. Herron Pharmaceutical boss, Euan Murdoch, says the media should be gagged in some cases of extortion. Mr Murdoch also wants a taskforce set up to examine responses to extortion attempts. His comments follow an extortion bid against his company earlier this year and the current recall of Panadol products. Mr Murdoch says the media should adopt a policy on extortion attempts, similar to its approach to suicides. ""The media doesn't cover suicide because they're trying to stop copycats and they have a responsible role to play in the management and the reduction of suicide within Australia. ""It's [a] similiar situation with respect to extortion. There are some extortion attempts where it's not appropriate to cover them and there are some extortion attempts where it is,"" Mr Murdoch said."

" The Olympic torch is making its way to Logan City, south of Brisbane, after travelling through the Gold Coast earlier today. The torch relay passed through Beenleigh a short time ago. The relay resumed around 7:30am today at Point Danger, near the Queensland-New South Wales border. The torch was carried north along Gold Coast streets before a special detour onto the beach at Surfers Paradise, where champion ironwoman Karla Gilbert, and Surfers Paradise club mates Trevor Hendy and Nathan Meyer took part. The torch continued to Southport where Olympian Andrew Baildon and his father Gold Coast Mayor Gary Baildon lit the special Olympic cauldron. Andrew Baildon says in his mind, carrying the torch has at least equalled actually competing in the Games. He says it has been a special day for everyone. ""I mean the most precious thing is that the kids are here to see it and I just hope they can remember this day,"" he said."

" The Queensland Government has rejected calls for a Royal Commission into hostels and boarding houses which accommodate disabled people. Community groups claim people are being abused and that conditions are run-down and over crowded. The Minister for Fair Trading, Judy Spence, says a unit within her Department is developing a set of standards for the industry, as well as training operators in the care of the disabled. ""I've been out there visiting these hostels and boarding houses in the last year myself and I'm very pleased at the work of that unit,"" she said. ""But no-one wants to see these boarding houses closed down overnight and these people turned out onto the street. ""So we've got to work with them in a cooperative way. ""I don't think we need a Commission of Inquiry to tell us what the problems are out there. ""We know what the problems are out there. ""What we need to do now is work with that industry to develop standards that are acceptable to them so that they can keep their doors open. ""I mean these are people who are running these boarding houses with fairly low profit margins and if we regulate too fast for them they will simply close down and these people will be on the streets."""

" New Zealand's Foreign Minister Phil Goff, who is part of the Commonwealth delegation visiting Solomon Islands, says the group will not try to interfere in the country's internal affairs. However, Mr Goff says there is a clear-cut choice for the warring parties. ""One is the path through violence, which will lead to a situation that they've seen already happen in their near neighbour Bougainville,"" he said. ""That is the path of devastation, of thousands dying, of the infrastructure being destroyed, of the economy collapsing. ""The other alternative is the path through the negotiating table to try to resolve the causes of the conflict to settle matters like compensation."""

" The wreckage of the Whyalla Airlines plane which crashed into South Australia's Spencer Gulf last week has been brought to the surface. Whyalla Airlines' chief pilot Kym Brougham has been aboard a salvage vessel to oversee the operation. The wreckage will be taken to Adelaide to try to determine the cause of the crash in which eight people died. Whyalla Airlines hopes to be in the air again by the middle of next week, pending final clearance from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority."

" The ABC's Managing Director, Jonathan Sheir, says a deal to supply online content to Telstra fell through because of cost and Telstra's insufficient recognition of the value of ABC content. The $67 million deal was eight months in the making, but was called off on Thursday night just two nights before the final sign-off. Telstra spokesman Stuart Gray says the ABC changed the deal. He says the ABC was wanting to provide less content for the same amount of money and it was not viable to Telstra to persist with the deal. Mr Shier says critical issues in the deal include the obligations that would have been imposed by Telstra, the cost of servicing the deal, and the fact it did not sufficiently recognise the value of the ABC's breadth of content. He says Telstra is dealing with dozens of other content providers and neither party is ruling out future cooperation."

" Three national parks and wildlife service personnel have been killed in a bush burn-off that went wrong on Sydney's northern outskirts this afternoon. Two others remain missing, and emergency services are combing the Kuringain national park. Two other officers are in hospital in a critical condition and a third has been listed as serious. Environment Minister Bob Debus informed the New South Wales Parliament of the tragic events. ""Out thoughts, Mr Speaker, the thoughts of all the house, I'm sure, are now with all of the officers and their families and their friends at this terrible time,"" he said. ""A New South Wales rural fire services investigation team is now is on the site already along with emergency services personnel."""

" Reports from Solomon Islands say the rival militias have agreed to a ceasefire. The Commonwealth peace negotiator, Professor Ade Adifuye, who has been liaising with both Andrew Nori from the Malaita Eagle Force, and the Isatabu Freedom Fighters, says there are good signs of a truce. ""There is an expressed commitment on both sides to work towards peace. ""There are several procedures. First of all, there are a truce, want ceasefires, want peace talks. ""These are procedures we have to go through, but the prospects are much brighter now,"" he said. Although fighting outside Honiara has died down today the capital remains tense. New Zealand's Foreign Minister Phil Goff says there is doubt over whether a Commonwealth team due to fly into the country tomorrow will be able to enter because the airport remains closed."

" Meanwhile, the Sydney Olympics has been blamed for causing huge delays in the processing of thousands of illegal immigrants. Former Migration Review Tribunal member Mary Lindsay claims she has been told the delays are because Australian Intelligience Security Organisation (ASIO) staff are busy with the Olympics. She is concerned about the further impacts on detainees if the delays continue. ""I'm very worried that this Government is actually keeping them in there because they know that the average person out there is not very sympathetic to the refugees,"" she said. ""I know Australians and I know that if they knew what was going on there they would...(know that) this is the problem."" She says the breakout at Woomera is a sign of the increasing frustration and desperation felt by hundreds of immigrants held in detention centres across the country. She is concerned about the further impact on detainees if the delays continue."

" The Federal Government has stopped the Tax Office from using the electoral roll to mail out a booklet explaining the goods and services tax (GST). The Commonwealth Solicitor-General has advised the government that the Electoral Office is entitled to supply the Tax Office with a tape or disk of the electoral roll. But the Tax Office can use such copies only in relation to medical research and public health screening programs. The opinion differs from earlier advice to the Tax Office from the Australian Government Solicitor. The Attorney-General, Daryl Williams, says the electoral roll now will not be used. ""Instead, Mr Speaker, the Treasurer has advised me that the Australian Taxation Office will distribute information on the new taxation system on a household distribution basis, not using the electoral roll,"" he told Parliament."

" The Federal Government has denied a senior Liberal election campaign advisor, is to work on a public relations campaign to soften up the bush to the full sale of Telstra. Labor Senator John Faulkner has quizzed the Government in Senate question time today, over the appointment of Jonathan Gaul by an advertising company retained by Telstra. Senator Richard Alston has confirmed Mr Gaul is helping Telstra. ""I'm not aware of the precise details but I am aware that Mr Gaul has been assisting Telstra on some matters. ""But I can be absolutely certain it is not in any way, shape or form an exercise in softening up the bush for privatisation,"" Senator Alston said."

" Police officers from Fiji and Vanuatu, who have been trying to help the peace process in Solomon Islands, are giving up and going home. The commander of the Police Assistance Group says it no longer has a role because the Solomon Islands Police Force has been taken over by the Malaita Eagles militia. The mandate of the peacekeepers was recently extended for another three months and 50 additional police from Fiji were to have joined the force but for the problems in Suva. The peace force commander, Fijian policeman Savenaca Tuivaga, says the force members have begun packing up to head home. ""We're waiting until there is a flight back to Fiji and Vanuatu because our mandate here automatically ceased when this guy took over the police force,"" he said. ""We are here to assist the police. Now that it has been taken over by an illegal organisation, we have no mandate here any more."""

" The two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) trade ministers meeting in Darwin has wound up, with delegates confident they will be able to move towards a new round of trade liberalisation negotiations. The 21 Asia-Pacific member countries generate more than half the world's economic activity. Their trade ministers this afternoon gathered in the great hall of the Northern Territory Parliament to present their joint communique. The Australian Trade Minister, Mark Vaile, interrupted his presentation when an official delivered a note to say Darwin's Aboriginal traditional owners were waiting to welcome the delegates to the hall with a dance. The performance over, Mr Vaile said progress had been made in talks on e-commerce, paperless trade, and regional trade agreements. But he said the most significant outcome was the reaffirmation of support for a new round of World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks. However, he warned the agenda will have to ensure success. ""We don't want a repeat of missed opportunities as came out of Seattle,"" he said."

" The Federal Government and the Opposition are again at odds over the advertisements for the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST). The Opposition is maintaining pressure on the Government to reveal details of the block booking of ""GST chains"" advertisements during a prime time Sunday night movie on Channel Nine. Labor claims the Tax Office gained sponsorship of the movie at premium prices to block out brewing industry advertisements critical of the Government. It claims the brewing industry advertisements had already been booked, but the Government gazumped them by paying more. The Special Minister of State, Chris Ellison, says the Government's media booking agency did not seek or enter into any exclusivity deal with Channel Nine. ""That was not sought by the Government, that was not sought by the agency and what the channel does is its own concern,"" he said. ""It was not communicated to us what it did or what it was going to do, and that is a decision made by Channel Nine on its own. ""It was not part of any purchasing arrangement."""

" New Zealand's Foreign Affairs Minister, Phil Goff, says there has been a breakthrough in the Solomon Islands crisis which will allow democracy to be restored. He says it follows pressure being brought to bear by New Zealand and other countries. Mr Goff said an agreement has been reached for withdrawing the demand for the Prime Minister, Bart Ulufa'alu, to resign. He would resume his normal duties with normal security and Parliament would be called together on June 16. Mr Goff said the Parliament would decide the leadership question, rather than it being imposed at the barrel of a gun. He said the deal had been agreed last night and its announcement is expected this morning. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Commonwealth Foreign Ministers have agreed to the partial suspension of Fiji from the organisation until democracy is restored. An emergency meeting of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group in London has also decided to dispatch a high-level mission immediately to Fiji. The emergency meeting of Commonwealth Ministers stopped short of a full suspension of Fiji, instead suspending the country from its councils. It will send a delegation, including Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, to the island this weekend. But Mr Downer says they will make it clear, in particular to the military and the Great Council of Chiefs, that the Commonwealth wants a rapid return to democracy. Describing rebel leader George Speight as a terrorist, Mr Downer was critical of the easy access Mr Speight has had to promote his views in the media, and said no Commonwealth Minister should have dealings with him. Mr Downer did, however, express a cautious optimism that the latest information from Solomon Islands indicated a peaceful resolution there may be imminent. Meanwhile, Mr Speight says the Commonwealth's action is not important and predicts the group will eventually change its view. He dismissed the criticisms of Alexander Downer and his fellow foreign ministers. ""Who's Alexander Downer, who's Alexander Downer?"" he said. ""With due respect to his view, it's really not at the top of our agenda at the moment and it's quite a typical reaction, much akin to what happened after '87. ""They'll soon change that stance again,"" Mr Speight said. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The president of Sydney's Olympic Committee, Michael Knight, says with 100 days to the Games it is now just the little things that need to be managed. Mr Knight is proud that all the permanent venues are completed. Mr Knight is not signalling complacency and is aware that attention to detail is still needed. ""And we're down to things at the margin, things that you've got to be careful that you don't muck up or you can undermine everything else you've done,"" he said. ""There are many expensive racing cars that have failed to finish because a $10 part's broken. ""I don't want to underestimate or minimise the importance of the small things...but it's now down to lots of little things,"" Mr Knight said. Olympic organisers are hoping a mistake-free first day will help reignite interest in the Games. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's Lleyton Hewitt is out of the French Open. The number nine seed has lost to Albert Costa of Spain 6-3, 4-6, 6-2, 6-3. Hewitt says the conditions on court when they started the match two nights ago were absolutely atrocious. ""Obviously the conditions were better for me out there today than yesterday,"" he said. ""It was the worst conditions I think I've ever gone onto a tennis court in yesterday - it was raining right from the start. ""Very heavy conditions today, it was easier to hit winners and move the guy around on the court and use your serve as well. That's why I felt I started pretty well and the turning point was 2-1 in the third set."" In other matches at the french Open tonight, Spain's Arantxa Sannchez Vicario has defeated number four seed Venus Williams in three sets. Sanchez-Vicario won 6-0, 1-6, 6-2. Number one seed Martina Hingis also won her match against American Chanda Rubin 6-1, 6-3."

" The company will follow the lead of Queensland competitor, Herron, by improving its packaging. Herron was forced to recall products and review its packaging after an extortion threat was made against the company. Kevin Dark, from SmithKline Beecham, says it is also reviewing its product line, following the nationwide recall. ""Clearly there will be a review of our product line and we will be obviously withdrawing our capsules as part of this recall,"" he said. ""Any introduction of capsules will be with improved tamper-evident measures."""

" Former Indonesian president, Suharto, has suffered a devasting blow in his efforts to fight allegations of involvement in large scale corruption. An Indonesian court today rejected a multi-billion dollar criminal defamation claim he brought against Time magazine. Time magazine claimed last year that the Suharto family was sitting on a fortune of $15 billion and that shortly after he fell from power in May 1998, he transferred $9 billion of this from a bank in Switzerland to one in Austria. He sued Time magazine for libel seeking $27 billion in compensation. But today the central Jakarta court struck out the defamation suit because of lack of evidence. A lawyer for Time magazine hailed the result as a victory for the Indonesian press. The former president's lawyer says the judge made a mistake."

" Sydney broadcaster Alan Jones and Radio 2UE are being sued by a group of Aborigines over comments he made about a native title application in northern New South Wales three years ago. The woman who lodged the claim, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council and two others have taken the case to the Supreme Court. Mary Lou Buck claims she was defamed by Alan Jones during an radio interview in 1997. In a tape of the broadcast, played to four jurors, Mr Jones claimed Ms Buck's application for native title at Crescent Head near Kempsey was fraudulent and deceitfully pursued. A cousin, Anthony Carter, is also being sued after alleging on-air that Ms Buck was not even remotely related to the Dunghutti people, and had lodged her native title claim in Perth so as not to alert her community. Mr Jones also said the NSW Government agreed to pay the Dunghutti people $738,000 compensation for the land which had been subdivided into residential blocks. The case is continuing."

" Researchers at the Monash Institute of Reproduction and Development are claiming a breakthrough for the meat industry. They have cloned a second calf from the same group of developed cells. Mayzi the calf has joined her genetically identical older sister, Suzi, in the same process used to create the world's first cloned animal, Dolly the sheep. Deputy director of the Institute Alan Trounson says the process could give the dairy and beef industries a huge genetic advantage. ""That would be a tremendous boon to the beef industry to be able to have very, very good bulls out there being cloned and used across the beef industry,"" he said. However, Professor Trounson says ethical issues also need to be examined, and such a process would have to use a large pool of different animals to ensure disease would not wipe out the cattle population."

" The Federal Government is about to announce a broad inquiry into competition in the telecommunications industry. Treasurer Peter Costello and Communications Minister Richard Alston will announce, possibly today, a wide ranging brief for the Productivity Commission. The inquiry would examine the state of competition in telecommunications and the prescriptive rules that constrain Telstra and other carriers. The commission's brief would be separate from the level of service standards in the industry now under examination by a government appointed panel. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" An oil slick found in the search area for the Whyalla Airlines plane that crashed on Wednesday night in South Australia has indicated another dive point to be investigated today. However, police Inspector Terry Harbour stresses the discovery is one of many which have been investigated during the past six days. He says police divers will fully analyse the site from first light, but do not want to build up false hopes of finding the wreckage. Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority has expressed concern about media coverage of the air tragedy. Eight people were on board the twin-engine Piper Chieftan on a flight from Adelaide to Whyalla when it went into the Upper Spencer Gulf after a mayday call from the pilot. Two bodies have been recovered. Dr Paul Scully Power, the chairman of the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, says there are all sorts of people from all sorts of media making presumptions about how the crash of Whyalla Airlines flight 904 occurred. But he says nobody can know for certain what occurred to make the Piper Chieftan's engines fail, forcing it to ditch into the Spencer Gulf. He wants the speculation to stop, at least for the sake of the victims and their families, until the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has investigated the cause of the crash. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has condemned the coup in Solomon Islands. ""We do utterly condemn the kidnapping of the Prime Minister and the Governor-General by armed militants with assistance from elements of the police. ""The Government...is as concerned about that situation as it is about the events in Fiji,"" Mr Howard told Parliament."

" Meanwhile, passengers booked on a flight from Brisbane to Honiara this afternoon will not be making the trip. The Solomon Airlines' flight, which was due to leave Brisbane at 4:30pm AEST, has been cancelled. Qantas says there were 40 passengers booked on the flight. All international and domestic operations have been suspended in Honiaro, due to the coup."

" After more than two years of investigation, a federal parliamentary committee has handed down a unanimous report on how to improve the health of indigenous people. The 35 recommendations include the establishment of an independent Council for Indigenous Health, investigating the cost of providing clean water to indigenous communities, and a national system for training Aboriginal health workers. It also recommends the Federal Government take major responsibility for the health care of Aboriginal Australians. Committee chair, Liberal backbencher Barry Wakelin, says international experience shows it is possible to improve indigenous health outcomes. ""We don't expect dramatic change in the immediate future. This is a long-term proposition, decades before you can start to see the sorts of results, it's inter-generational. ""So we need to measure our progress millimetre by millimetre, but we can do it,"" he said."

" Telstra workers have put their own complaints to the Federal Government's inquiry into Telstra's service levels. The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) says their stories put the lie to the Government's and Telstra's claims that job cuts have, in fact, led to an improvement in service delivery. In its submission the union cites numerous cases where staff have detailed management practices which have prevented them from delivering customer service. The CPSU's Stephen Jones says stress among Telstra staff is high, and morale is low. ""In their last staff survey 67 per cent of staff said they didn't have faith in senior management, a massive 67 per cent of staff,"" he said. ""So if the customers are saying it, if the staff are saying it to the union and the staff are saying it to management, there is an endemic problem that needs to be addressed. ""We think that's the story that should be taken to the services inquiry."""

" US President Bill Clinton's first meeting with Russia's leader Vladimir Putin has ended without a hoped for foreign policy breakthrough. The US and Russia disagree about how to manage the threat from emerging nuclear powers. America and Russia have signed agreements to reduce their stockpiles of plutonium and to establish a joint centre to monitor early warnings of missile attacks. But the agreement Mr Clinton most wished to secure on his last visit to Moscow eluded him. Russia failed to agree that in order to meet the threat from non-aligned nuclear powers, the US needs to build a new anti-missile defence system. President Clinton said he had not decided whether America should unilaterally build the new system, in breach of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty - the cornerstone of global arms control since the 1970s. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Newcastle-based Impulse Airlines today begins flying in direct competition with Qantas and Ansett on Australia's main domestic routes. The first flight, from Sydney to Melbourne, left this morning with 111 passengers booked, just six short of a full load. Impulse spokesman Simon Westaway says bookings have also been strong for other flights today. ""Our load factors during the whole course of the day from both Melbourne and Sydney sectors has also been quite positive,"" he said. ""We've got over 50 per cent loads on most services, it's really right on line with what we thought we'd carry on [the] first day. ""Impulse has always budgeted on having low to medium load factors on these major routes in the short to medium term."" -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Federal Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, has used an address to the Victorian Labor Party conference to slam the Howard Government's industrial relations policies. Mr Beazley has told the conference, which is the first since the Victorian Labor Party's election victory, the Federal Government's record of industrial relations has been one of confrontation and union bashing. He said the Government had nobbled the Industrial Relations Commission, robbing Australia of an effective, independent industrial umpire. The Opposition leader has also promoted Labor's recently announced plan to scrap Australian workplace agreements. Mr Beazley said the agreements were both ineffective and unfair. ""You have all these workers trying to get a fairly bargained agreement, but they're told the by the AWA, you'll take it or we'll take back the job,"" he said. ""For working people trying to get a fair deal under Peter Reith, it's like a crowd trying to get through the turnstyles at Colonial Stadium."""

" A plane with specialised in depth sounding technology, spent the night searching parts of Spencer Gulf for wreckage of the twin engine Piper Chieftan, which crashed with eight people on board on Wednesday. The search concentrated on the Yarraville Shoal area, south-east of Whyalla, where the plane is believed to have ditched. The results of the search have been flown to Sydney where they can be downloaded and analysed. A plane equipped with laser depth sounding technology did overnight sweeps of Spencer Gulf where the plane, flown by Whyalla Airlines, is believed to have crashed on Wednesday. A scaled-down search by boats is also underway, their efforts assisted by the first fine weather since the plane crashed. The bodies of two victims have been recovered, the other five passengers and the pilot are presumed dead. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) is conducting a safety audit of Whyalla Airlines this weekend. The airline has suspended its flight services since the crash."

" The Australian men's hockey team has failed to qualify for the final of the Champions Trophy in Amsterdam. Germany will play the Netherlands in the decider on Sunday after beating the Kookabuuras 4-2. Australia was always battling after the Germans scored the first 3 goals of the match. Jay Stacy and James Elmer were the scorers for Australia. The result means the Netherlands and Germany will play each other in the men's and women's finals of the Champions Trophy."

" Fiji's rebel leader George Speight says he wants to release his hostages this weekend. Mr Speight says he will end the siege to clear the way for a meeting on Monday of the Great Council of Chiefs. He says he has a deal with the military under which he will hand over all weapons and release the 30 MPs being held hostage in Parliament. In turn, he says, the army will order its troops back to barracks. Mr Speight says this will clear away the crisis, so the council of chiefs can meet on Monday. ""Between now and Monday are the issues to do with what we do with the hostages, and what we do with the army and its presence in the streets,"" he said. ""The commander [Commodore Frank Bainimarama] and I have pledged our commitment to resolving those issues before Monday because we'd like the Great Council of Chief's meeting and decision-making process to be uninhibited or untainted by those issues being unresolved. ""I personally would like the Great Council of Chiefs meeting to go ahead and proceed with all of these issues resolved,"" he said. Divisions in the Great Council of Chiefs mean it is not yet clear that the 50 traditional leaders will gather on Monday. Mr Speight wants to present his plans for Fiji's future government, with himself as prime minister, while the army will present its own blueprint. The rebel leader says both sides have pledged to accept as binding the judgement of the chiefs."

" Former assistant tax commissioner, Nick Petroulias, will face three new charges, and a charge of conspiracy to defraud the Commonwealth against him has been withdrawn. Mr Petroulias, who appeared in the Melbourne Magistrates Court this afternoon, has been charged with corruption of a Commonwealth officer, seizing goods in Commonwealth custody, and disclosure of information by a tax officer. Prosecutor Peter Hastings QC, told the court it is alleged Mr Petroulias marketed a tax avoidance scheme and received one-third of the profit. Magistrate Duncan Reynolds is considering an application to have the case heard in a Sydney court next week."

" Melbourne researchers believe snoring contributes to heart disease by increasing wear and tear on the body. Severe snorers have a high rate of sleep apnoea, a condition in which breathing stops during the night. The head of the Alfred Hospital's Sleep Disorders Unit, Dr Matthew Naughton, says some people stop breathing several hundred times a night. ""It's the low oxygen level and the arousals from sleep which we believe cause problems with blood pressure and may go on to develop heart disease,"" he said. The research team has found 20 per cent of people who die from a heart condition have sleep apnoea. They are trialling a special pump which increases air flow to the lungs to try and reduce the extent of the condition."

" The Olympic Coordination Authority says more than one million Olympic tickets will remain unsold when the latest round of sales ends on Monday. Almost every high profile event, including the ceremonies, swimming and athletics, have sold out. However, tickets remain for less popular sports such as volleyball, handball and equestrian events. The Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games said it always expected a large number of tickets to be available in the lead up to and during the Games. --------------------------------"

" US financial markets are breathing a little easier on the inflation front this morning, resulting in solid rallies on bond and equity markets. The American Commerce Department has published new figures on construction activity. Across the US, spending on construction has dropped a sharper than expected 0.6 per cent in April - the first fall in seven months. At the same time, the National Association of Purchasing Management says that while manufacturing has grown in May for a 16th consecutive month, the pace of expansion is less robust. Although the more important figures on US employment are not released until tonight, investors have been prepared to push up prices on the markets. High-tech stocks have led the way, surging 5.3 per cent on the Nasdaq exchange. The Nasdaq composite index has finished 182 points ahead at 3,583. On the New York Stock Exchange, prices have closed a little off their highs. But the Dow Jones industrial average is still up 130 points to 10,652. That is an advance of 1.2 per cent. The US bond market has again registered healthy gains. The firmer prices have pushed down the yield on 30-year Treasury paper to 5.95 per cent, a fall of five points. In Britain, share market trade has taken a lead from Wall Street, with telecommunications and technology the key sectors once again. Overall, London's FT-100 index has jumped ahead 111 points to reach 6,471, the percentage gain being 1.75 per cent. Yesterday in Asia, there were signs of bargain hunting on the major exchanges of the region. Japanese investors appear to have been encouraged by stronger corporate profits. Tokyo's Nikkei index rose 362 points to 16,694. In Australia, market players were more uncertain, but Telstra and retail stocks gained some attention. The All Ordinaries index gained seven points to reach 3,048. In overnight trade on the Sydney Futures exchange, just before the 7:00am AEST close, the Share Price Index contract was up 16 points on yesterday's day settlement at 3,122. The 10-year bond contract is up six points at 93.93, with the implied yield easing to 6.07 per cent. The Australian dollar is a little weaker on the night. Just before 7:00am AEST, it was was being quoted for about 57.20 US cents, down one-tenth of a cent on yesterday's local close. On the cross-rates it is at 0.6141 euros, 62.09 Japanese yen, 38.28 pence sterling and against the New Zealand dollar it is at 1.251. The gold price is at $US272.80 an ounce, and West Texas crude is back up to $US30.24 a barrel. ----------------------------------"

" An audacious attempt to become one of Australia's leading Internet service providers looks to have failed for the beleaguered company eisa. Plans by eisa to buy Ozemail have now been scuttled with current owners, UUNet, saying the sale agreement has been terminated. Eisa had offered more than $300 million for Ozemail back in February and a successful completion would have seen it rivalling Telstra's Big Pond. But the funding depended on a series of equity deals with other players, one of which was the John Fairfax subsidiary, f2, which earlier this week pulled the plug on its $40 million participation. UUNet says it is clear that eisa is not in a position to meet financing requirements. Eisa says it is now examining the legality of the deal's termination as well as the retention by Ozemail of a $20 million deposit paid to it by eisa. ---------------------------------"

" Thousands of elderly arthritis sufferers are about to get access to a new drug at heavily subsidised prices. The drug, Celebrex, has been added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) at a cost of $217 million during the next four years. Health Minister Michael Wooldridge says it is the biggest new addition to the PBS in its 52-year history. About 35,000 people presently use the drug, paying about $60 a month - the price will fall to just over $3 for health card holders and $20 for general patients. Dr Wooldridge says it is expected 500,000 people will benefit from the subsidy, which becomes available from August. ""It is going to be an additional cost to the budget,"" he said. ""It's a very good cost to the budget. It will save a lot of illness, it will save a lot of people ending up in hospital with bleeds because [of] the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs they use now. ""It will prevent a lot of side-effects that older people currently get from their medication."" ---------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has been making the pitch for the full sale of Telstra, backed by $65 million worth of new communications projects for rural Australia. The projects announced today include an expansion of rural low cost Internet access. Mr Howard says it is spending made possible by the Telstra sale. ""This is a good news story for the people of rural and regional Australia. ""And it's a demonstration to them that we're serious in our commitment, that there are great benefits from the sale of Telstra,"" he said. The Government is waiting for the outcome of an inquiry into Telstra service levels to see if it can win support for the full privatisation. Mr Howard says the inquiry is independent, but he believes Telstra is doing a better job and deserves praise. He would not comment on Telstra's falling share price, but he has expressed full confidence in the Telstra board and management. --------------------------------"

" Shareholders in Colonial Limited have overwhelmingly approved the $8 billion takeover by the Commonwealth Bank. The vote comes despite concerns about widespread branch closures and staff cuts raised at meetings in Melbourne today. The deal, the biggest in Australia's corporate history, now only needs Supreme Court approval after it was cleared by the Federal Government and competition authorities yesterday. -----------------------------------"

" Aboriginal leader Charles Perkins has confirmed he is interested in having another voluntary role associated with the Sydney Olympics. Mr Perkins, who is already a member of Olympic organisers' (SOCOG's) Indigenous Advisory Committee, is nominated as an assistant mayor for a day of the Games village. Mr Perkins' appointment needs the approval of the committee's board next month. He says the honourary position will not stop him from criticising the Federal Government's handling of indigenous issues during the Games."

" Fiji's military chief Commodore Frank Bainimarama has named Ratu Epeli Nailatikau as the country's new Prime Minister. Fiji Radio says Mr Nailatikau is the husband of Adi Koila Mara, who was the tourism minister in the ousted government of former prime minister Mahendra Chaudhry. She is currently one of 30 hostages being held in Parliament by coup leader George Speight, who stormed Parliament on May 19 in the name of Fiji's indigenous population. Mara is also the daughter of President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, who resigned on Monday after the military declared martial law. Radio Fiji says the full line-up of the military's interim government will be announced soon and will consist of professionals not affiliated to any political parties. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" School children have fired shots at police during a riot near Johannesburg in South Africa. A student was killed in the clash and four police officers were wounded. High school students from the township of Alexandra, north of Johannesburg, attacked police and burned down a house. They had gathered to confront a local shop owner who had been accused of killing a student during the week. When police arrived more than 500 students were rallying outside the store. The shop owner's house was then set alight before several shots were fired. Police say rocks and petrol bombs were also thrown by the students. The police eventually dispersed the crowd and arrested several youths, but the students regrouped and are demanding the release of their schoolmates who are now in custody. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Hundreds of marines and police reinforcements are being sent into two provinces of Indonesia, in the wake of sectarian violence over the past week, which has left more than 90 people dead. Most of the victims are Christians, killed in bomb and gun attacks at the hands of Muslim extremists. The most savage attack took place on Halmahera island in the northern Malukus. At least 50 people were killed in a dawn raid as Muslim extremists raided villages by sea and mountain, setting alight hundreds of houses. Violence has also flared in central Salawesi, where seven have died in several clashes and more than 40 were injured, when a bomb was detonated in church during a service on Sunday. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The X classification for erotic video is set to remain in place. The Federal Government has abandoned a plan to re-name the X classification non-violent erotica (NVE). Members of the Government, particularly National Party MPs, became concerned that NVE was too mild a description of the sorts of pornographic acts performed on the videos. The Government has reviewed the proposed switch to NVE and decided to stick with the X classification, although there will be a tightening of the restrictions on what can be shown on X-videos. Fiona Patten, of the Eros Foundation, says it is the first step towards a total ban. ""Unfortunately the Coaltion Government has a policy to ban X-rated videos and the X classification, this was why they decided to introduce NVE,"" she said. ""Now we are faced with a ban on all sexually explicit material in Australia. ""We will see the end of the legal industry in the ACT. The ACT has had a very good, regulated industry and we will now just hand it over to the blackmarket in the States. ""I think NVE was a far more prescriptive classification. It only allowed non-violent erotica. It was much more restrictive in cutting out aggressive language and demeaning behaviour,"" she said. Meanwhile, National Party MP De-Anne Kelly says she is happy to cooperate with any police investigation into the screening of sexually explicit videos at Parliament House in Canberra. De-Anne Kelly says she organised the private screening last March for herself and other colleagues who were considering a proposed new video classification. The sex industry lobby group Eros Foundation has raised questions about the legality of the screening and Federal Police have confirmed a complaint has been referred to them. Mrs Kelly says she has written to the ACT chief police officer offering to answer any questions. ""I think it's a matter of privilege that parliamentarians be able to properly inform themselves,"" she said. ""The Eros Foundation, I'm afaid, doesn't frighten me at all. I haven't had the Federal Police knocking on my door, and don't expect to."" ------------------------------------"

" The Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, has indicated he is prepared to take on the brewing industry over its campaign against the changes to beer excise. The changes have come as a result of the introduction of the goods and services tax (GST), and brewers have launched an advertising campaign warning prices of beer sold over the bar could rise by more than 8 per cent. The Treasurer has drawn International Olympic Committee vice president, Kevan Gosper, into the issue. He has told Coalition MPs that one of companies involved in the campaign, Lion Nathan, is foreign owned with Mr Gosper as its Australian director. He has also urged MPs to tell him of cases where hotel chains are taking licences from country hotels in order to reissue them in cities and suburbs. -----------------------------------"

" Prime Minister John Howard's decision to send out a letter about the new tax system is being labelled ""massive overkill"" by the Federal Opposition. The signed covering letter will be included with a booklet outlining the tax changes, to be mailed out by the Tax Office next month. The booklet will go to eight million families at a cost of $10.2 million. Labor's Senate leader John Faulkner says Mr Howard's letter is a waste of taxpayers' time and money. ""It's just $10 million of taxpayers' money being used to flog the GST,"" he said. ""It's massive overkill and it's totally unprecedented."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" In Jakarta, state prosecutors have placed disgraced ex-president Suharto under house arrest, after promising that the former strongman will be charged within the next two months for embezzling millions of dollars. A spokesman for the prosecutor's office says Mr Suharto will not be allowed to leave his house in downtown Jakarta from today. His confinement was prompted by escalating public pressure, including violent protests by students demanding swift action against the former strongman. Mr Suharto was ousted from office in 1998 amid massive pro-democracy protests, leaving behind a legacy of endemic corruption and nepotism. The former autocrat is a leading suspect in a corruption investigation involving the misuse of millions of dollars during his 32-year reign. Suharto is denying any wrongdoing. Reformist President Abdurrahman Wahid has promised to pardon him if he is found guilty and returns the millions of dollars he is alleged to have stolen. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Mark Philippoussis ousted second seed Pete Sampras in a not-too-unexpected upset at the French Open today. It was only the second time in his career that Sampras had been ejected from Roland Garros in the first round and he did not go out without a fight. It took Philippoussis more than three and a half hours to wear down the second seed and take the match 4-6, 7-5, 7-6, (4-7), 6-4, 8-6. Philippoussis will play American Paul Goldstein in his second round match. In other results, Australia's Jelena Dokic says her superior fitness and mental strength helped her through a difficult opening round match at the Open. But another Australian, Richard Fromberg, lost in four sets to Frenchman Sebastian Grosjean. Women's top seed Martina Hingis cruised through to the second round with a straight sets win against Belgium's Sabine Appelmans. Dokic lost her opening set 3-6 to Slovakia's Tina Pisnik, but fought back to win the next two sets 7-6, 6-4."

" Diplomatic sources say the Fijian Army chief Frank Bainimarama will take over as ruler of Fiji, and his appointment will be announced shortly. The sources were speaking to reporters shortly after the army seized control of Suva and ordered troops to ""shoot-to-kill,"" to enforce a new 48-hour curfew. The move followed an overnight rampage by supporters of a coup against the country's elected government. The Government has been held hostage in parliament since May 19."

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, will include a personalised letter in a mail-out by the Tax Office about the goods and services tax (GST). The Tax Office will send a GST information booklet to eight million families next month, at a cost of $10.2 million. The mail-out is already under fire from the Opposition, because the Tax Office is using an electronic copy of the electoral roll to carry it out. But Mr Howard has defended his decision to include the letter. ""I'll be signing the covering letter yes, there's nothing new about this,"" he said. ""The Keating and Hawke governments did household deliveries explaining changes in other areas. ""The letter that I'll send is completely factual."""

" The Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori is headed toward a third consecutive five-year term after winning a widely boycotted vote. Mr Fujimori, 61, won the run-off election with a landslide majority. But it is a weak mandate since millions of Peruvians protested over alleged irregularities by staying away from the polls or cancelling their ballots by writing ""no to fraud"" across them. The incumbent essentially ran against himself since his only rival, Alejandro Toledo, boycotted what he said was a fraudulent process. Legally Mr Fujimori won a massive majority, since only valid votes are recognized. But the huge support for Mr Toledo's boycott showed a deep polarization of the electorate."

" Queensland selectors made four changes for the third State of Origin match against New south Wales on Wednesday. Into the side come Ben Ikin, Wendell Sailor, Chris McKenna and Craig Greenhill. Making way are Jason Smith, who is injured, with Paul Green, Russell Bowden and Steve Price omitted. Queensland coach Mark Murray says it is important to retain the three match state of origin series. While Murray acknowledges he faces a challenge in preparing the team for what is effectively a dead rubber against New South Wales, he says comments by the Maroons Gordon Tallis to scrap the match are wrong. ""The media have seized on that which are fairly substantial comments I suppose for a person in his position,"" he said. ""I know that Gordon has a great love of playing for the state. ""I'm sure his comment was out of disappointment at being down 2-nil in the series and certainly not aimed at the opportunity of playing for Queensland the third time this year."""

" In a sign of the tension generated by mob violence overnight in Fiji's capital, Suva, the military has called up all reservists under the age of 55. The call went out on national radio, Radio Fiji, after a meeting between the army chief, Commander Frank Bainimarama, and the President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. Some time later, men started trickling into Queen Elizabeth Barracks, the military headquarters. In another development, the United States embassy has issued a statement advising all American citizens to leave Suva. At Parliament, rebel leader George Speight is still holding the Prime Minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, and a number of other hostages. ---------------------------------"

" Australia's big brewing companies have launched an advertising and lobbying campaign against the Federal Government's proposed increase in beer excise. The campaign has the backing of Lion Nathan, Carlton and United, Coopers and Boags breweries. The beer industry claims the excise increase on tap beer is a tax grab that will net the government an extra $500 million a year. The brewers estimate beer sold over the bar will rise by more than 8 per cent or 17 cents a glass. Believing the issue is ""dynamite"", the brewers are running television and print advertisements, a phone hotline and placing posters and coasters in pubs and clubs. The industry has not revealed the budget for the campaign, but says it will be open-ended until the excise rate is changed by the government or overturned in the Senate. ---------------------------------"

" Tonight at 8.30pm on ABC TV, After the Corroboree, a special event hosted by George Negus. It's a forum for Australians to discuss the way forward after the Corroboree 2000 celebrations and the historic handover of the final draft of the reconciliation document. Join an internet forum after the program at 9.30pm. Go to ""http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/""."

" Police in London have charged a man with the murder of BBC television presenter Jill Dando, who was shot in the head outside her home last year. He is a 40-year-old unemployed musician named Barry Michael George, alias Barry Bulsara. He is reported to have been living only a few hundred metres from Dando in west London. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Federal Labor MP Greg Wilton will appear in court this morning on charges arising from an incident in bushland on Friday. Police say the 44-year-old from Malvern, in Melbourne, was arrested in the You Yangs National Park near Geelong. Police took two children from him, fearing they were at risk. Mr Wilton has admitted himself to hospital for psychiatric treatment. He is to appear in the Geelong Magistrates Court today charged with breaching an intervention order. A spokesman for the Federal Opposition leader says any decision on Mr Wilton's political future is up to the MP. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Roman Catholic Church in Fiji has strongly condemned the overthrow of Fiji's elected government. The messsage from the Archbishop of Suva has been read out in services today. The Archbishop of Suva, Petera Mataca, says Fiji has been shocked, shaken and frightened. The archbishop says the Roman Catholic Church strongly condemns the overthrow at gunpoint of the democratically-elected Government and the holding of hostages of the Prime Minister and MPs. The archbishop's message also attacks the destruction, burning and looting of Indian property. In the message read out in Suva's cathedral, Archbishop Mataca expressed shame at the looting by Fijian families. ""I am ashamed to be known as a Fiji islander,"" he said."

" Fiji's rebel leader George Speight will resume talks with the Great Council of Chiefs today in an effort to end the country's political hostage crisis. A spokesman for Mr Speight has rejected a compromise plan put forward by the president. President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara yesterday sacked the Chaudhry Government and has taken control of the country. The president is considering granting immunity to Mr Speight and six of his rebels. Tomorrow, an interim council of ministers is expected to be appointed. The Labour Party, led by captive and now deposed prime minister, Mahendra Chaudhry, has rejected Ratu Mara's actions as unacceptable. The plan has also failed to sway Mr Speight, a spokesman for the rebel leader saying it did not go far enough."

" The Northern Territory's Environment Centre has supported a Federal Opposition call for an independent inquiry into a leak at the Ranger uranium mine in April. The leak was reported to authorities a month after it was detected and it was revealed last week that contaminated water reached the wetlands in the Kakadu National Park. The Federal Labor Party says the Office of the Supervising Scientist, responsible for monitoring the mine, is too close to it, and its procedures should also be scrutinised. The environment centre's Mark Wakeham agrees. ""The supervising scientist is deeply embedded in the regulatory and monitoring regime for Ranger, and we believe that this inquiry needs to look at the causes of the incident, [mining company] ERA's failure to report the incident and why the regulatory authorities didn't detect the leak,"" he said."

" Tickets to one of the most internationally popular Olympic Games sports are being made available today. More than 30,000 tickets to the weightlifting, to be held at Darling Harbour's Sydney Convention Centre, will go on sale. Australian Olympic weightlifter Damian Brown says history will be made this year when women's events are included for the first time. ""It'll be the first time that women's weightlifting is contested and there'll be four categories for women and eight for men,"" he said. ""So it's very exciting. We've got a lot of females training at the moment and it gives them a fantastic incentive over the last couple of years, to really get stuck into some training."""

" The military regime in Burma has warned against attempts to commemorate the 10th anniversary of elections won by the National League for Democracy, led by Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi. Heightened security is in place in both the capital, Rangoon, and Burma's second largest city, Mandalay. Ten years ago today, the people of Burma went to the polls and voted to end military rule. It was a landslide election victory to the National League for Democracy. The party won 82 per cent of the vote, but the military regime has maintained power by creating a culture of fear. They have warned against any attempts to mark the anniversary. A special warning has been issued to the Buddhist clergy, after reports emerged of a planned march on the capital by monks from the northern city of Mandalay. Diplomatic sources say despite the reports, they believe the anniversary will pass without major incident. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Victoria's sudden plunge into winter has resulted in snow on many of the State's ranges. Temperatures dropped dramatically overnight, reaching -1 in the state's west and -4 in alpine areas. The weather bureau's Scott Williams says the coldest air is heading for Melbourne. ""It is a pretty nasty cold outbreak for this early in the season,"" he said. ""We did have one like this back in 1977, where we had a day of just eight degrees in Melbourne at the end of the month, but it's certainly not common. ""It's more common not to get this severity of weather until later June or early July,"" Mr Williams said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's third national Sorry Day has been marked by new calls for the Prime Minister to apologise to indigenous people. Thousands of people around the country have marched to commemorate the occasion. Australians from all walks of life have joined Sorry Day activities to show their regret for the past treatment of indigenous people. In Melbourne, about 3,000 people assembled at State Parliament. In Sydney, hundreds gathered at Maroubra beach. In Brisbane, a big crowd marched through the city. Sorry Day supporters around the country were united in their condemnation of John Howard for refusing to apologise for past wrongs. In Adelaide, the co-chairman of the Stolen Generations report, Mike Brown, said Mr Howard now owes a new apology - not just for the past but also the present. ""He's appealed to parts of our society and divided it very strongly in the process,"" he said. But Mr Howard says Australians are starting to realise his decision not to apologise does not lessen his commitment to reconciliation."

" The Queensland Premier described Mr Howard's refusal to apologise to the Stolen Generations as ""un-Australian"". However, Peter Beattie has also been criticised by indigenous people at a ceremony to mark the start of Reconciliation Week. Aboriginal performer Adrian McEvoy claims Queensland police are targeting indigenous people with their new move-on powers. ""I myself have been pulled up on occasion, on several occasions by police for no apparent reason, only because of what I look like,"" he said. Queensland Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Policy, Judy Spence, was sympathetic. ""I think what we're seeing today is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, indigenous people in this country, are still hurting and they need to express that hurt,"" she said. Meanwhile, Queensland Government ads, running in newspapers tomorrow, call on business to invest more in the indigenous communities of Cape York."

" The Tax Office (ATO) and Australia's richest man, Kerry Packer, are to go head-to-head in the High Court. The ATO alleges Mr Packer's companies owe over $100 million in tax from a series of overseas transactions. The claim relates to a four year period between 1988 and 1992. One of the main issues is the 1990 transfer of Consolidated Press companies from Britain to the Bahamas. The ATO claims the companies were moved after announcements in Britain and Australia about changes to tax laws, in an asset-stripping exercise, to move profits beyond Australia's jurisdiction. In earlier legal action, the Federal court ruled the companies did not indulge in asset-stripping in the Bahamas transaction. But the court did rule the Packer companies entered into a scheme to avoid tax in a 1989 failed takeover bid. The High Court has agreed to consider both issues, with Consolidated Press calling for the tax avoidance ruling to be overturned, and the ATO wanting a ruling the group is guilty of asset stripping."

" The Victorian Division of the Australian Funeral Directors Association has celebrated its 110th anniversary with a parade of classic hearses through the streets of Melbourne. The celebrations culminated in the burial of a time capsule at the Melbourne General Cemetery. Australian Funeral Directors Association spokesman Graeme Bird says the capsule will be opened in 40 years when the group celebrates its 150th anniversary. ""It contains some copies of publications the Funeral Directors Association has produced here in Victoria and also some of the price lists and brochures that we actually currently produce,"" Mr Bird said."

" Mr Howard says the future for reconciliation in Australia lies at the grassroots community level rather than with political leaders. Mr Howard held talks in Sydney today with key Aboriginal leaders to discuss the reconciliation process, ahead of Corroboree 2000. He says the talks were positive, and he is hoping the weekend events will mark another step towards reconciliation. But he says reconciliation needs the ongoing involvement of the community. ""We all recognise that reconciliation is essentially a people's movement, it's essentially something that has to happen in local communities between individual Australians,"" he said. ""It's not something that can be mandated from some kind of political heaven, it's something that has got to actually occur in the ground amongst people in their hearts and minds."""

" Meanwhile, singer with the Aboriginal band Yothu Yindi, Mandawuy Yunupingu, says the best result to come out of this weekend's national reconciliation event would be a treaty between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians. Mr Yunupingu will be staging a concert in the remote Northern Territory community of Nhulunbuy this weekend, as part of reconciliation events. He says Corroboree 2000 in Sydney will go some way towards reconciliation. ""Even if there's no result, I will think that the struggle will continue and I will be involved in that struggle,"" he said. ""I think that the end result, I would think, is a treaty that will be independently pushed or endorsed by independent groups of people from Australia. I think that's my opinion of the whole thing."""

" Fiji's Great Council of Chiefs will meet for a third day today to continue discussions on a proposal by the President, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, to end the hostage crisis. They are reported to be deeply divided. At one stage their chairman, Sitiveni Rabuka, told the media the chiefs had given unanimous support to Ratu Mara. But other sources at the meeting have revealed that is far from true. Overnight, offices of a company formerly headed by rebel leader George Speight were burnt down in a a suspected arson attack. The offices belonged to Fiji Hardwood Corporation, which last year sacked Mr Speight for alleged misappropriation of funds. An official of a security firm said a guard saw a person throw a firebomb at the offices then run away. -------------------------------"

" The Middle East has a new flashpoint with Israeli and Hezbollah soldiers face to face across the Israel-Lebanon border. Israel today learnt at close range just what its military withdrawal from Lebanon means. Armed Hezbollah guerillas and Lebanese civilians faced Israeli soldiers just metres across Israel's northern border. Following Israel's pull-out its ally, the South Lebanon army, has ceased to exist in the space of two days. Its headquarters in Marjoyoun were looted today. The Hezbollah flag flies from most cars, buildings and the former Israeli stronghold, Beaufort Castle. With its enemies in Lebanon at such close quarters Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, has warned Syria and Lebanon that any attacks on Israel will be seen as an act of war. ------------------------------"

" The bitterly divided US House of Representatives has voted to grant China permanent trade privileges. The decision has handed President Bill Clinton a major victory in his final year in office. Giving Beijing permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) cuts US tariffs on Chinese goods to the level enjoyed by all but a handful of nations and is a key component of a landmark Sino-US trade accord signed last November as part of China's accession to the World Trade Organisation (WTO). One Republican representative did not vote in the 435-member House, which voted 237-197 in favour of the measure. ---------------------------------"

" The Northern Territory's Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation says it is sticking with its decision not to take part in National Reconciliation events in Sydney this weekend. Corroborree 2000 is being hailed as a major step towards reconciliation and will mark the launch of the National Document for Reconciliation. The Stolen Generations Corporation announced earlier this month it would not go to the event, saying it could not stand beside a government which has undermined the concerns of Aboriginal people. The Federal Government has ruled-out supporting key elements of the national reconciliation document, to be presented at Corroboree 2000. The document refers to an apology, but the government says it would prefer to make an expression of sorrow and sincere regret. The group's Maurie Ryan Japarte says reconciliation cannot be achieved until there is a formal apology to the Stolen Generations. ""I will not be going down to Sydney because it does not say an apology from Mr Howard,"" Mr Japarte said. --------------------------------"

" But the Government's Senate leader, Robert Hill, rejects allegations of a conflict of interest. ""The fact that he has worked previously for a political party which they were involved [with] doesn't amount to a conflict of interest,"" he said. ""You can say it amounts to an association, professional association, and that was apparently reported."""

" The Immigration Minister, Phillip Ruddock, has rejected claims of a possible mass suicide by illegal immigrants. There have been reports 100 people of Middle Eastern origin at Curtin Detention Centre are planning to take their own lives. They are reportedly demanding their applications for asylum be processed more quickly. But Mr Ruddock says he is unaware of any mass suicide pact. ""I know nothing which would substantiate a view that we are likely to experience a mass effort on the part of some people to take their own lives,"" he said."

" The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) will ask South Africa's cricket chief tonight whether he will take action over new allegations of match-fixing. Former South African team advisor, Ashley Mallett, has gone public with claims of suspicious South African tactics and player selections during the Sydney Test against Australia in 1998. ACB chief executive Malcolm Speed says he will consider referring the allegations to Australian police. ""The people who the Australian police would want to interview I suspect would be the South Africans and they're in South Africa,"" Mr Speed said. ""It may be at this stage we're better to leave it with the South African inquiry and see what comes out of that, but it's a good point and I'll have a look at that."""

" Fiji's political hostages remain locked up in the parliamentary complex as the Great Council of Chiefs prepares for a second day of talks aimed at resolving the crisis. Coup leader George Speight says he is disappointed the council has thrown its weight behind the country's President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara. The council affirmed what chairman Sitiveni Rabuka described as unanimous support for Ratu Mara, although he said there was considerable sympathy for ordinary Fijians' complaints reflected in three recent protest marches and a petition to Ratu Mara. An admittedly tired coup leader, George Speight says he is now waiting to hear what the council decides about his proposals to end the crisis. But the council will also discuss Ratu Mara's own plan of action. The council meeting resumes as the secretary-general of the Commonwealth, Don McKinnon, and special UN representative Sergio De Mello arrive in Suva to meet Ratu Mara later this morning. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Thousands of workers at Toyota's Victorian plants have been ordered to stay home, with an industrial dispute shutting down the car manufacturer. Toyota says it will lose $11 million a day, despite being an innocent bystander in the dispute between parts manufacturer, Socobell and the Manufacturing Workers Union. The dispute, over a picket line outside Socobell's Spotswood premises, will be heard in the Federal Court this morning. Toyota's Ross Morten says the company was forced to stand down its workers. ""It's obviously not a decision we take lightly,"" Mr Morten said. ""We delayed making that decision until the last possible moment so we would urge people to get back talking to each other and get back to work so that we can start building cars again and our workforce can be back and gainfully employed."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The 26-year-old daughter of Japan's former prime minister Keizo Obuchi is to run for Parliament. The former prime minister died of a stroke last week after six weeks in a coma. Yuko Obuchi says she decided to succeed her father in Parliament when she saw his body returned to her family home. At 26 years of age, she is as old as Keizo Obuchi himself was when he stood for his father's seat. Politics runs in families in Japan. The country's Finance Minister had a father, uncle and brother in Parliament. Japan's Foreign Minister had a father, an uncle and now has a son in Parliament and the leader of Japan's Opposition had a grand-father, a great grand-father and now a son in Parliament. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Olympic torch is continuing its journey across the Pacific today with a stopover in Palau. Palau is the second of 13 Pacific stops for the torch, ahead of its arrival in Australia on June 8. The torch arrives in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) tomorrow, where Jim Tobin from the FSM Olympic Committee says the emphasis will be on youth. ""Most of our torch bearers, around 90 of them, are under 21 and they are athletes,"" he said. ""We decided since we were one of the newest countries in the Olympic Federation [that] we'd let our future elite athletes...[carry] the torch."" ----------------------------------"

" Three men walked away uninjured when a pilot made an emergency landing on a Gold Coast beach this morning. The pilot guided his light plane onto sand at Tugun, after the aircraft lost power. Witnesses praised the skill the pilot showed. Andrew Pappas, who was jogging on the beach at the time, watched the plane's silent descent from 600 metres and says the pilot made a perfect landing. ""Within a split second, the pilot turned the plane towards the beach, he was very low and there was no way he was going to make it to the airport,"" he said. ""So I think that split second decision he made, it's fantastic and the landing was absolutely perfect. ""He only touched the sand three times. The only worrying thing - there was a guy fishing here and the plane was headed straight for him, and the guy did not know that the plane was there,"" Mr Pappas said. ""He just continued on fishing and not even hearing the plane at all."" ------------------------------"

" The Federal Treasurer Peter Costello has announced a new tax deduction for small to medium-sized businesses to help them cope with the goods and service tax (GST). Mr Costello revealed the new tax break while attempting to answer industry concerns over the GST. Treasurer Peter Costello announced a new tax deduction for small and medium sized business while addressing around 1,000 industry representatives in Sydney Monday night. Businesses which order plant or computer equipment to help administer the GST by June 30 and have it installed within one year can claim the cost of it as an immediate tax deduction. Mr Costello says there will be no need to depreciate the equipment. ""You don't have to depreciate it over three years, four years, seven years - whatever the life of it is, it will be immediately tax deductable over the 1999/2000 year."" The Federal Government says the tax deduction applies to business with a turnover of up to $10 million. ===================================================================="

" Hundreds of frightened Israeli-allied militiamen have streamed across the Lebanese border seeking asylum from Israel after Hezbollah guerrillas over-run their abandoned outposts in occupied south Lebanon. ""Hundreds of South Lebanon Army (SLA) men and their families are crossing the border in Tormus some 10 kilometres west of Kiryat Shmona and in two other border crossings,"" a military spokesman said. ""They are flocking into Israeli army posts on the border and their fate remains unknown,"" he added. Among the asylum seekers are five SLA officers and their families, who fear reprisals after Israel ends its 22-year occupation of Lebanon. ""The army is extremely concerned about the fate of the South Lebanon Army and it is reassessing the situation in light of Hezbollah provocations,"" another military official said. Zvi Rish, an Israeli lawyer representing SLA asylum seekers, says has received many calls from fleeing Lebanese who ""fear for their lives"" and has petitioned the Israeli supreme court seeking a ruling as soon as possible. Mr Rish said the court ordered the government to respond to the petition early Tuesday and to explain how it plans to resolve the problem of the asylum seekers. A date for a hearing had not been set. ===================================================================="

" Fiji's President has hinted that Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry may not continue in the role, as major talks get under way in Suva tomorrow to resolve the hostage crisis. The President has also called on the coup leaders to release the hostages and surrender. President Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara will take to tomorrow's crucial Great Council of Chiefs meeting a proposal to end the four-day crisis. He would not reveal any details but said no one should assume that Mr Chaudhry would continue as Prime Minister. ""I cannot give you that assurance. What I intend to do is to talk to them and say that you've seen what has happened, what is your possible solution for it?"" he said. He said whatever action follows tomorrow's talks would have to be in line with the constitution and he was not inviting Mr Chaudhry to resign. He told a media conference he expects the full support of the Great Council of Chiefs when it meets tomorrow. Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara reiterated he was in charge of the country, under the terms of the State of Emergency as executive president, and not who he called the ""militant terrorist group"" in parliament. He said he was surprised to hear coup leader George Speight had been driven around Suva in a police car in the early hours of the morning and said it was a matter he was looking into."

" Meanwhile, Fiji's Deputy Prime Minister has called on the Great Council of Chiefs to oppose the attempted coup. Adi Kuini Bavadra Speed was speaking from her hospital bed in Canberra, where she is receiving treatment. Adi Kuini say the chiefs must distance themselves from a shameful act of violence by criminal thugs. ""This attempted coup must not succeed. The Fijians have already suffered from the effects of the 1987 coups, that is why they elected the Chaudhry Government,"" she said. ""Fiji's economy relies on cooperation between Indo-Fijians and the indigenous Fijians. ""The chiefs must show leadership and wisdom at this critical time,"" Ms Speed said."

" Taxpayers are to fork out around $30,000 to install new curtains in the Prime Minister's office at Parliament House. The Labor members of a Senate Estimates Committee have questioned the Secretary of the Joint House Department, Mike Bolton, about the cost of new furnishings in the Prime Ministerial suite. Mr Bolton has told the Committee that new, longer curtains are needed to replace built-in furniture which was removed some time ago. He has acknowledged the curtains will be expensive. ""The job was made up of round about $7,000 in consultancy fees because there was air-conditioning issues to be addressed and some lighting and issues to be addressed in the office as well, to allow us to hang these curtains appropriately,"" he said. ""The supply and fabrication of the silk and the scrim curtains was $7,300, and then the actual building works needed to do it all was in the order of $15,000."""

" About 500 hundred workers have gathered outside the Federal Court in Melbourne to protest against the Federal Government's third wave of industrial law changes. The rally was called in response to the Federal Government's proposal to amend the Workplace Relations Act to restrict industry-wide agreements. Earlier, the Federal Court heard directions on penalties for three Metal Trades Federation of unions officials, found guilty of contempt of court after a series of stopwork meetings last November. Dean Mighell is one of those officials. ""This is about the Workplace Relations Act, it's about bad law, it's not about the courts,"" Mr Mighell said. ""It's about bad law and defending basic trade union rights of workers to be able to meet."" The labor movement has interpreted the proposed amendments as a direct response to Campaign 2000, the push for an industry-wide agreement in the manufacturing industry."

" In Fiji, doctors have returned to parliament to check on the health of Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry, who remains a hostage for a third day in an attempted coup. Some of the captive politicians were released this morning after they signed documents of resignation, apparently under duress. Mr Chaudhry is reported to have suffered leg injuries during a fall as gunmen were taking him to a separate room in the parliamentary complex. His injuries prompted calls for an ambulance and hospitalisation. But the self-appointed Prime Minister, George Speight, refused access to outside doctors. Mr Chaudhry was then treated on the spot by assistant Health Minister, Dr Chand. Another 10 Indo-Fijian politicians have been released after signing a resignation document, leaving more than 12 hostages in the parliament. Rajendra Chaudhry, the son of the Prime Minister, this morning agreed to sign his resignation document, paving the way for his release. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Israel's Prime Minister, Ehud Barak, has cancelled a trip to the United States following a week of violent clashes between Israeli troops and Palestinians and increased violence in Lebanon. Mr Barak was to meet US President Bill Clinton to try to advance Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. The past weeks have seen a surge of violence in the territories, with four Palestinians killed and hundreds injured, including some 20 Israelis. In towns around the Palestinian areas, thousands of demonstrators have thrown stones at police, who returned fire with rubber-coated steel bullets. More than 100 injuries were reported in all. In the West Bank town of Ramallah, clashes escalated after it was announced that a Palestinian man who was shot in the head by Israeli troops on Friday had died. The Israel-Lebanon peace process has also stumbled, with Israeli warplanes raiding the base of a radical Palestinian group north of Israel. Four members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command were killed in the raid on the organisation's base. Lebanese military sources say the attack on the base also destroyed an arms dump and a number of military vehicles. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" New research shows immediate treatment of needle-stick injuries can reduce the chance of developing HIV infection by nearly 80 per cent. The research by the Australian College of Dermatologists shows early treatment of diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B can significantly reduce the rate of infection after injury. The best results are obtained if treatment - usually a course of medication - begins within an hour or two. The chances of acquiring HIV can be reduced by as much as 79 per cent if treatment begins within 48 hours of the injury. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The political hostage crisis in Fiji is now into its fourth day, after the country's self-proclaimed prime minister George Speight refused a chance to give up gracefully. Armed gunmen are still holding Fiji's top parliamentarians prisoner. At a late night media conference, Mr Speight produced a letter containing the amnesty offer from President Ratu Sri Kamisese Mara. He said the conditions were that he accept the 1997 constitution and Mahendra Chaudry as Prime Minister. ""If I were to do that I would actually be going against the very will of the indigenous people of Fiji on whose behalf I executed the coup,"" Mr Speight said. Security has been tightened around Parliament and television cameras have been banned from within one kilometre of the complex. However, in an extraordinary move, the coup leader was seen taking a tour of Suva during the night. He also claims he will take over government offices today. Meanwhile, a minister in the Fijian Government will ask the Australian Government to play a bigger role in the crisis. Fiji's Education Minister, Pratap Chand, who is in Canberra, wants to meet Prime Minister John Howard and other ministers. Mr Chand, who flew here from Vanuatu when the coup occurred, says Australia could strengthen its condemnation of the coup. He said he would like an Australian representative to assess first-hand, the health of the hostages. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Olympic torch arrived in Guam early this morning at the start of its journey across Oceania. Guam is the first of 13 Pacific countries that will host the torch before its reaches Australia on June 8. Shaun Gumataotao of KUAM TV says Guam is right behind the event. ""Everyone is well aware of it,"" he said. ""Roads, they're not going to be closed believe it or not for the relay, they are still going to have traffic going through, one lane will be dedicated to the relay, but all the motorists have been warned. ""Of course everyone is expected to be at Adelupe Park for the community celebration...about 20,000 people are expected to be on hand to attend the event."" The Olympic torch will be in Guam for a day, before it is flown on to Palau for the second leg of its Pacific journey. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The romantic novelist Barbara Cartland has died at her home after a brief illness, her son Ian McCorquodale has announced. Cartland, 98, was a prolific author of more than 650 books, most of them formulaic romantic stories, and a staunch defender of old-fashioned values. Towards the end of her life, Cartland's celebrity was enhanced by virtue of her becoming the step-grandmother of Diana Princess of Wales, whose father Earl Spencer married Cartland's daughter Raine. In 1991, Cartland was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Northern Territory's Gaming Minister says he is seeking legal advice about the Federal Government decision today on Internet gaming licences, and what it means for the sale of the TAB. The federal government will legislate to put a moratorium on any new Internet gaming licences, effective from today. Tim Baldwin says it is a 'head in the sand' approach, and he believes bringing in player protection regulation is the way to go. He says the exisiting licence for Lasseters in Alice Springs will not be affected, but it is not clear what the decision means for other licences the government was planning to issue. ""That puts us in a very invidious situation because we have contractual commitments,"" he said. ""Let's look at the sale of the TAB for instance, what does that mean for that? And we'll be seeking legal advice on the extent of what this announcement is today."""

" Australia and South Korea will upgrade their political ties in an effort to boost trade relations The Prime Minister John Howard and the Korean President, Kim Dae Jung, have struck an agreement in Seoul for annual meetings to be held between their foreign and trade ministers. A free trade association between the two countries will be explored as part of the dialogue. Mr Howard says he recognises that Korea's restrictions on agricultural imports have been a long-term irritant in the relationship. ""As leader of the Cairns Group, Australia is still very committed to agricultural trade liberalisation, a point I made to the President,"" Mr Howard said. ""But we must nonetheless take what bilateral opportunities there might be and certainly explore them to expand trade and investment links between our two countries."""

" Veteran Australian breaststroke swimmer Samantha Riley will not make a decision about her future in swimming for at least another fortnight. Riley has told a news conference she is disappointed she has not made the Australian team for her third Olympics. Riley missed selection in the 100 and 200 metre events for the Sydney Games, and now says she wants time to think about her future."

" Newcastle-based disabled swimmer Gemma Dashwood has lashed out at organisers of Sydney's Olympic Swimming trials, saying they have treated Paralympic trialists with contempt. Dashwood was one of six disabled medalists who had their medals taken from them, after it was discovered there was a shortage of medals. Gemma Dashwood says she felt humiliated by the process, and the entire event has been poorly run. ""The whole meet has just been disgusting,"" she said. ""I've been near to tears a couple times the way we've been treated by the media, and the cameras. We've been told we can't go anywhere near the cameras. ""I get told to step back if I'm anywhere in shot and it's just an insult when we go out for our finals which are just as important as Olympic selection trials because they're our selection trials as well."""

" An Albanian refugee forced to return to Kosovo from Australia last month, has described the situation there as being worse than it was during the war. The man, who wanted only to be known as Visar, said the day they returned to Kosovo, one woman was killed and since then, at least 10 of the refugees have been murdered. He says water and food is scarce, jobs are hard to find and many people have nowhere to live. He has implored the Australian Government to come good with a promise to send someone to Pristina to help them. ""So many people I know are still waiting. We have a form but we don't know how to fill it, they promised us a man to help come help us fill the forms,"" he said. But Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock says the government's hands are tied until the Albanian Association identifies who it actually wants to sponsor. ""And when we have those sponsorships from the organisation, we can then deal with the people and when we have a sufficient number of people for us to process matters, we will then arrange for one of our officials to go to Pristina from Athens to enable that to occur,"" he said. ---------------------------------"

" Long distance truck owner-drivers have launched a national campaign for better pay and conditions at a rally in Melbourne this morning. The Transport Workers Union says drivers who own their own trucks do not receive award wages, and are sometimes forced to wait months to get paid. They are seeking enforceable cartage rates, payment within 14 days and the licensing of transport and freight forwarding companies. Union state secretary, Bill Noonan, says the industry has operated this way for a long time, but the situation has got worse. ""Long distance owner-drivers are basically being ripped off,"" he said. ""They have no enforceable cartage rates, they're not being paid in a reasonable time period after the work is performed and they're dealing with people, who are not licensed in the industry and of course, there is no control over them relative to payment methods etcetera."" --------------------------------"

" AMP's board has told shareholders it takes full responsibility for the events of last year. What is expected to be a fiery Annual General Meeting has begun in Melbourne. Stan Wallis, who has been AMP's acting chairman since last month's dramatic board overhaul, acknowledged shareholder concern over what he called a difficult and challenging year. He defended the $13 million payout to former chief executive George Trumble as having averted potential severe management disruption if the matter had gone to court. On the disastrous hostile takeover of GIO, which bequeathed AMP more than $1 billion in re-insurance losses, Mr Wallace conceded the anaylsis of that business was deficient and the board's judgement was wrong in pursuing an aggressive bid. But Mr Wallace says AMP has learned from its mistakes. ""The board of AMP, ladies and gentlemen, takes full responsibility and accountability to what happened in 1999,"" he said. ""In seeking to resolve the issues and problems of the past, we have taken strong and decisive action to put AMP back on track."""

" Federal Treasurer Peter Costello has described the republic issue as unfinished business, which Australia will return to. Mr Costello, who campaigned for a ""yes"" vote in last year's referendum, says he remains convinced the symbols of the constitutional monarchy need to be changed for the 21st century. He has told Perth radio 6PR, the push for a republic is similar to his campaign for tax reform. ""Change is a hard thing,"" he said. ""Gee, I know, I've been through this tax change; everybody's in favour of tax reform but the change, accomplishing the change is a hard thing. ""It's the same on the republic, you might have a view about where people would like to end up, but getting there and the mechanics of it is very, very difficult,"" Mr Costello said."

" Swimming coach Don Talbot says Susie O'Neill will have a clearer head going into the Olympics after last night's world record. The Olympic selection trials continue in Sydney tonight. Talbot says he got great satisfaction out of O'Neill's record last night. ""It's probably about time, but I think she can have a much freer time now, a clearer head for the Games. But it was very nice to see it happen,"" he said. Tonight, Sam Riley will swim for a spot on the Olympic team in the 200 metres breaststroke final, along with 14-year-old Leisel Jones and Rebecca Brown. Sarah Ryan is the fastest qualifier for the 100 metres freestyle final, which also features Lori Munz. Matt Dunn is the favourite for the men's 200 metres individual medley final, while Matt Welsh is the fastest qualifier for the 200 metres backstroke final. Scott Miller was quickest this morning in the heats of the 100 metres butterfly. Semi-finals tonight will feature Miller, Michael Klim and Geoff Huegill."

" Susie O'Neill has broken the world record in the 200 metres butterfly final at the Australian Olympic selection trials. O'Neill was always under world record pace and broke the previous mark by 0.15 of a second to finish the journey in 2:5.81 minutes. American Mary T Meagher had held the record for 19 years. O'Neill will thank Petria Thomas, who pushed O'Neill throughout the race and finished second. O'Neill told Fox Sports she tried not to put too much pressure on herself to break the record. ""Yeah, I was starting to wonder and tonight even coming into it I was expecting not to get it so I wouldn't be disappointed,"" she said. Earlier, South Australian Ryan Mitchell qualified for the Games with victory in the 200 metres breaststroke from Regan Harrison who also made the team. Simon Cowley and Phil Rogers were disappointing, finishing fourth and fifth. Sarah Ryan was the fastest qualifier in the women's 100 metres freestyle semi-finals while Gian Rooney was second fastest. Lori Munz, who is attempting to make the Olympics despite a car accident two months ago, finished fourth in her semi-final and just made the final. Samantha Riley qualified for the 200 breaststroke final. Matt Welsh was quickest in the 200 metres backstroke semi-finals. Michael Klim has set a Commonwealth record in winning the 100 freestyle final. Klim recorded a time of 48.56 seconds to win from Chris Fydler. --------------------------------"

" The death toll from escalating violence in the Maluku Islands in Indonesia has risen to at least 22, after clashes in the provincial capital of Ambon. Many of those killed were thought to have been shot by security forces, trying to keep rival Christian and Muslim gangs apart. Most of the victims died from gunshot wounds. Security forces opened fire to disperse mobs fighting in the city. Among the dead were a 19-year-old policeman and an army soldier. The deaths follow years of bloody sectarian violence that have cost more than 2,500 lives. The governor and military commander of Ambon met with President Wahid to find a way of trying to calm the violence. --------------------------------"

" At least 17 people have been killed in a bomb blast in eastern Sri Lanka, which is thought to have been the work of Tamil Tiger rebels. The explosion occurred near a Buddhist temple in the town of Batticaloa during celebrations marking the holiest day in the Buddhist calendar. The blast came as heavy fighting continued around the northern town of Jaffna. The Sri Lankan military says it has turned back the latest attacks on Jaffna town by Tamil Tiger forces. Officials say at least 39 rebels were killed in their push to recapture the Tigers' former stronghold. Meanwhile, shellings been reported around the army's crucial military air base on the Jaffna peninsula. A ban on journalists entering the battlezone makes independent confirmation impossible and there has so far been no reaction from the Tamil Tigers to the government's statements. ----------------------------------"

" Australia will provide more funding to Sierra Leone to support children separated from their parents during war. The Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, says Australia will give an extra $750,000 to a program run by the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). He says at least 10,000 children in Sierra Leone have been separated from their families, and 5,000 have been abducted and conscripted as child soldiers. Mr Downer says he is deeply concerned by the widespread loss of civilian life in the country, and the detention of UN personnel."

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has dismissed the latest attack on Australia by his Malaysian counterpart. Dr Mahathir's comments continue a long history of prickly relations with Australian prime ministers. The Malaysian leader's last outburst was in September, calling Australian troops in East Timor ""belligerent"". This time he has accused Australia of being a regional bully, and he says Mr Howard is not welcome in Malaysia. The Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, says Mr Howard cozied up to Dr Mahathir when he first won office and did not direct foreign policy towards national security and opportunity. ""And his failure in that regard is manifest in the performance of the person that he was most obsequious to when he came to office,"" Mr Beazley said. Mr Howard says Dr Mahathir is wrong. Mr Howard is using a trip to South Korea beginning tomorrow as a sign Australia is deeply involved in Asia, and that he is welcome there. ""Korea is Australia's second biggest customer. Our best customer is Japan. The last time I checked they were both Asian countries,"" Mr Howard said."

" The man who was once Indonesia's most powerful military figure has resigned from the government after being interviewed over his role in last year's violence in East Timor. General Wiranto has denied the questioning had anything to do with his decision. He was effectively sacked in February, but he told the media last night his resignation will avoid any future disruption to the Cabinet. The announcement came after prosecutors from Indonesia's Attorney-General's office grilled General Wiranto for the first time yesterday. During the seven-hour interview, he denied any responsibility for the human rights abuses, arguing that the riots followed the pro-integrationists' disappointment at the unfair ballot process in East Timor. In a prepared statement, he maintained that the Indonesian military made a good effort to secure the territory. General Wiranto is among several former generals under investigation by Indonesian authorities."

" Prime Minister John Howard is refusing to buy into a possible preselection row between Finance Minister John Fahey and backbencher Alby Schultz. Mr Schultz is threatening to run as an Independent in the next election if Mr Fahey tries to move in to his seat of Hume in southern New South Wales. He has accused Mr Fahey's supporters of setting their sights on the Hume seat and trying to undermine him since Mr Fahey's own seat of McArthur had its boundaries redrawn. Mr Howard says he is hopeful the matter will resolve itself. ""I don't normally break forth on air about any role I might play in matters like that except to make the obvious comment that whenever you have a redistribution that alters boundaries like this you always get a little bit of tension,"" he said. ""I'm sure it will sort itself out."""

" Meanwhile, Miss Hanson says the ALP's registration of a new party name is a joke. Labor is registering the name Country Labor to capitalise on its growing support in rural and regional areas. Miss Hanson says a name change will not be enough to win over voters. ""I think it's a joke, the whole thing is an absolute joke,"" she said. ""Like I said, do they have to change the name of the party to get anywhere? ""Who are they trying to kid? Same horse, same old nag, the same rider, the same reins, nothing's changed,"" Miss Hanson said."

" Both Coalition parties have attacked the move as a con. National Party leader John Anderson says without proper policy,the ALP's use of Country Labor will only ever be a stunt. ""I think they've got a long way to go before they're seen as particularly relevant in rural and regional Australia,"" he said. But Mr Anderson admits his party cannot take rural voters for granted. And National Farmers Federation President Ian Donges acknowledges Labor has always had a place in the bush. ""The next election could well be decided in rural and regional Australia, and obviously the Labor Party have picked up on that,"" he said."

" Lawyers for Alan Bond have suggested they may hand over a valuable painting to liquidators of the former Bond Corporation. The portrait of Captain Cook has been at the centre of a legal dispute,involving Alan Bond, his two sons, John and Craig, and the family's accountant. The portrait, by John Webber, was insured for $3.5 million in 1988. The liquidator of Bond Corporation, which is now called Southern Equities Corporation, Richard England, has made a civil claim for $13 million in relation to an alleged art scam involving 13 paintings, including the Captain Cook portrait. However in a surprise compromise, the painting, which is thought to be the most valuable of all the paintings in question, may soon be in the hands of the liquidators. None of the defendants is claiming ownership of the painting and the liquidator has asked the South Australian Supreme Court to make an order declaring the painting the property of the liquidators. The matter will resume on Friday."

" A special meeting of the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) ethics commission has cleared Kevan Gosper of all allegations of corrupt conduct over the Salt Lake City bid. The report from Martin Lipton, the independant New York lawyer, has cleared Mr Gosper of all allegations that he may have accepted inducements from the Salt Lake City bid team. The ethics commission has accepted his report. Mr Lipton says that after examining the evidence that there is no basis on which to conclude that either Mr Gosper or his wife knowingly or negligently violated the IOC rules with respect to visits to bidding cities. The head of the ethics committee has also accepted Mr Gosper's apology for last week's torch relay controversy. ----------------------------------"

" It has been a bloody and brutal day in Israel and the Palestinian territories, one of the worst in the past five years. At least four people are dead and hundreds have been injured in clashes across the West Bank and Gaza. One Palestinian policeman was killed near the West Bank town of Romallah, four more Palestinian police were shot in an exchange with Israeli troops near the town of Jennin. Four days of growing unrest peaked on the day Palestinians commemorate as Nakba or Catastrophe Day, marking the formation of Israel in 1948. A member of the Palestinian Legislative Council said the uprising was inevitable given the stalemate in peace talks and the policies of Israel's Barak Government. ""When you steal somebody's land, when you steal someboby's home, you expect a reaction,"" he said. ""Israel should stop behaving like an occupier and start behaving like a peace partner, otherwise it will be met with acts of resistance to occupation."" Meanwhile, in Washington, US Secretary of State Madelaine Albright said the US was concerned about the renewed violence and its threat to any chance of peace in the Middle East. ""We've learned over and over again that...violence is not the way to resolve this, nor does it help in moving the peace process forward,"" she said. ---------------------------------"

" The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority says there is no need for a crackdown on illegal navigation, after a ship's captain was fined for sailing through the park without a pilot. Dane, Anker Jacobsen, aged 56, was fined $8,000 yesterday for navigating the Trinity Opening, north of Cairns, without a pilot. The authority's chairman, Virginia Chadwick, says there is a very real threat of an oil spill if an accident occurred on the reef. But she says the authority's surveillance measures are strict enough to prevent further offences. ""I don't know that we need a further crackdown, we are pretty vigilent,"" she said. ""There have been two allegations in a very short period of time, and we've been able to follow-up on both of them. ""So I think it's to the credit of all authorities involved, including the maritime safety organisation, as well as our own officers."" --------------------------------"

" There has further confirmation the pre-goods and services tax (GST) bubble has burst for the housing sector. Rising interest rates have also helped to produce a slump in the monthly number of new home loans. Around Australia during March, 43,700 homebuyers secured a new loan, that seasonally adjusted total is down 8.1 per cent on February. It is the second biggest monthly decline since April 1990 and in terms of the total value of lending there has been a drop of 12.1 per cent, the largest slump since April 1990 just ahead of the onset of Australia's last recession. Economists say March would have been to late for any further pre-GST pull-forward effect and the Bureau of Statistics itself notes there were widespread expectations of increases in interest rates."

" Australia's peak housing industry body is calling for a halt to the current round of interest rates hikes, warning they may cost around 60,000 jobs in the next two years. While a larger drop than expected, the March results only extend and accelerate the trend that began last November. The pre-GST (pre-goods and services tax) surge in construction is petering out, worsened by four interest rate rises. Senior economist with the Housing Industry Association (HIA), Simon Tennant says the industry is used to the boom-bust cycle, but this downturn may be more severe than previously thought. ""We'd expect between this financial year and next financial year, around about $6 billion less investment in building overall, which will certainly have a pressure on jobs as well, possibly around 60,000 jobs,"" he said."

" Lori Munz has been given the all clear to swim at tonight's Olympic selection trials in Sydney. Munz collapsed after swimming in the heats of the 200 metres freestyle at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre this morning. Munz collapsed as she walked off the pool deck and had to be assisted from the arena. It is only eight weeks since the car accident that broke both her knee caps. The New South Wales Institute of Sport head swimming coach, Greg Hodge, says this is her first competitive hit out since then. He says she felt faint suffering from a lack of oxygen after pushing herself so hard in the heat. Doctors have cleared her of any knee problems and Hodge says she will be back in the pool for tonight's semi-finals. ""Lori is probably the toughest athlete I know and I don't think there will be any problem in her overcoming mentally the emotion of this morning,"" he said."

" Queensland State of Origin selectors have made one change in the team for the second match at Lang Park on Wednesday week. Selectors have shown faith in the team that almost pulled off victory last week. They have named Julian O'Neill at five-eighth, in place of the injured Ben Ikin. Wendell Sailor amd Gordon Tallis remain in the side pending fitness tests on Friday. New South Wales has made two changes to their squad. Andrew Johns has replaced the injured Terry Hill while Adam Muir also comes on to the bench for Michael Vella."

" The National Party throughout Australia has been warned to take notice of the party's loss in the by-election for the once-safe Victorian state seat of Benalla. The Nationals suffered a swing of almost 8 per cent to lose the by-election, reducing their representation in the Victorian Legislative Assembly to just six. The warning has come from the party's federal president. Helen Dickie says the defeat in the Benalla by-election should sound alarm bells for the National Party in other states and federally. She says there were no federal issues involved, but the perception that the Nationals are too close to the Liberal Party was a factor. Ms Dickie says the Nationals have to sell their policies in different ways. ""We'll perhaps have to be a bit more radical in our response,"" she said. The Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, has also expressed concern about the party's performance in Victoria. The Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, says the Benalla result has no specific federal implications, but shows country people are prepared to recognise Labor has some solutions. ""There is an open mind in the bush about the Labor Party - a more open mind than there has been in my lifetime in politics,"" he said. Mr Beazley says the result speaks volumes about the way country people view the National Party. ""Not just in Victoria but elsewhere the Nationals, to the minds of many, have put their personal positions in power and their comfort in power ahead of the regional job they are sent out to do,"" he said. ""This is a perception that has been growing for some time now and I think it is now really set in the public mind."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Tens of thousands of Americans demanding tougher gun laws have spent Mother's Day in the National Mall in Washington as part of the ""Million Mom March"". President Bill Clinton told the demonstrators not to be deterred by the mountain they have to climb. Organisers of the march in the National Mall are demanding uniform handgun control laws, including licensing and registration. Mr Clinton, who has failed to convince Congress of the need for tougher gun legislation, says prevention is the key. ""It's not like we don't know prevention works, we know it does work,"" Mr Clinton said. ""One of the things mothers learn to do real early is not let their kids make excuses when they shouldn't."" The Centre for Disease Control says 12 children die each day in the US as a result of gun violence. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Health Minister Michael Wooldridge says there is absolutely no evidence that he behaved improperly in the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines scandal. His comments follow the release of the Commonwealth auditor-general's report which found the Government's negotiations with radiologists may have prompted some to realise a Medicare subsidy would be made available to them in the 1998 federal Budget. That information prompted a rush of orders for the MRI machines ahead of that year's Budget. However, Dr Wooldridge has told Channel Nine's Sunday program that while errors have emerged in a statutory declaration given to the auditor-general about a pre-Budget meeting, he is still innocent of any wrongdoing. ""When you've had many meetings over a six month period and when you're trying to recollect 18 months later, recollections can be flawed and that's the whole point of this,"" he said. ""There was nothing untoward about this meeting at all, it was a perfectly normal part of government business. ""There is one piece of unanimity about that meeting, of course. Every single person at that meeting says that I did not disclose what was in the Budget."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" In Yugoslavia, a senior political figure has been shot dead, the latest in a series of assassinations of close associates of President Slobodan Milosevic. Bosco Perosevic, the head of the provincial government in the northern Yugoslav town of Novi Sad, was shot at close range by a lone gunman while attending an agricultural fair. The BBC reports Mr Perosevic was then taken unconscious from the scene to hospital where he was put on a life support machine, but he never recovered and was later declared dead. After a brief chase, the alleged assassin was apprehended. Local media say the man is a 50-year-old security guard at the fair. It is the fourth killing this year of prominent politicians, businessmen and public figures associated with President Milosevic. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" International Olympic Committee vice-president Kevan Gosper has apologised ""from the bottom of his heart"" for what he says was a lapse in judgment in allowing his daughter Sophie to be the first Australian torch bearer for this year's Olympics. And in London this morning, Mr Gosper offered his place as torch bearer in the pre-Olympic ceremonies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground to the girl his daughter displaced. His voice at times choking with emotion, Mr Gosper says fatherly pride clouded his judgment in allowing his daughter to accept the invitation. ""I concede now that it was a mistake,"" he said. ""My attachment to Sophie clearly got in the way of my normal judgment. ""Given that as vice-president of the IOC, people could perceive that there was a conflict and whilst I had no influence on the outcome, that was apparently the perception in some quarters."" Mr Gosper admitted both Olympic colleague John Coates and Minister Michael Knight had counselled him against involving his daughter, but he had ignored them. To make up to Yianna Souleles, whom Sophie Gosper displaced, Mr Gosper has offered his own, up until now undisclosed, role in carrying the torch on to the Melbourne Cricket Ground. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Leaders of white farmers in Zimbabwe say they have agreed with President Robert Mugabe to set up a land commission to oversee the peaceful transfer of farmland to the state. The agreement came in talks in the capital, Harare, which also involved leaders of the squatters who have been occupying white-owned farms. Farmers' leaders say an outline agreement has been made, but talks on details, such as compensation, will continue next week. President Mugabe says his goal is peace. ""We are pledged to avoiding any incidents that disturb the life of a farmer that tend to interfere with the day-to-day operations on the farms, and where there's been this disturbance, it has got to corrected,"" he said. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian swimming selection trials start in Sydney today with Ian Thorpe just one of the competitors looking to secure a berth in the Olympic team. Thorpe will contest the heats of the 400-metres freestyle today with the final being held tonight. Competitors who finish first or second in a final qualify for the Australian team provided they finish inside the Olympic qualifying time. Sam Riley says she will be competitive in the 100 and 200-metres breast stroke despite being hospitalised with a kidney infection recently. ""You know, I've got a lot of competition with a few of the young ones coming through and people coming back but I'm confident that I can do it,"" she said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's Lleyton Hewitt will meet Sweden's Magnus Norman in the semi-finals of the Italian Open in Rome. Hewitt beat Argentina's Mariano Puerta 6-3, 3-6, 6-1, while Norman, who defeated Hewitt at this year's Australian Open, defeated Spaniard Felix Mantilla, 6-4, 6-3. But Hewitt says avenging his loss in Melbourne is not part of his thinking leading into the match. ""I'm not going to take it like that though, it's a totally different surface,"" he said. ""It's not a grand slam but it is a big tournament for me and you know it's a semi-final. ""Trying to get into a final of a Masters series event and here sort of on a surface which I haven't really had too much success on at this young age, so it's a big opportunity for me and I'll be going out there and play my game and giving 100 per cent tomorrow."""

" Dual Olympic swimming gold medallist, Kieren Perkins, says the decision to allow the daughter of Australian IOC member Kevan Gosper to carry the torch in Olympia was insane. Mr Gosper's 11-year-old daughter Sophie was given the honour of being the first Australian to carry the torch by members of the Hellenic Olympic Committee. Mr Gosper ignored requests from Australian officials to refuse the offer and has since been criticised by politicians, athletes and sporting officials. Perkins says he was amazed by the decision."

" Prime Minister John Howard has made a plea for Australia to get over a controversy surrounding the first leg of the Olympic torch's journey to Australia. Disgraced International Olympic Committee (IOC) member Phil Coles and New South Wales Premier Bob Carr continue to criticise IOC vice-president Kevan Gosper. Mr Gosper's daughter Sophie was the first Australian to carry the Olympic torch, replacing a Sydney Greek-Australian schoolgirl. Mr Howard says Australia needs to get on with the business of the Olympics. ""I think there's been enough about that, it's been dealt with extensively,"" he said. ""I just think we ought to move on to the positive things about the Olympic Games. ""I think we run the danger in this country of becoming hooked on gaffes in relation to the Olympic Games,"" Mr Howard said."

" The Federal Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, has promised a Labor Government would responsibly roll back the goods and services tax (GST) and not make promises it cannot afford. Mr Beazley has delivered his formal reply to the Federal Budget. Lost opportunities, a lack of vision, and a misreading of the economic times is how Mr Beazley characterised the Government's fifth Budget, one he says even the Treasurer is embarrassed about. ""On Tuesday night the smirk had gone and all that remained were the thin lips and a hushed backbench,"" Mr Beazley said. Democrats leader, Meg Lees, in her formal reply, went further. ""To paraphrase Graham Chapman in Monty Python's The Life of Brian, Mr Costello is not the economic messiah, he's just a very naughty boy,"" she said. But, in a strong speech, the Opposition leader spelled out some priorities for Labor. For the regions there would be more infrastructure, better education and measures to tackle salinity. In health, he promised quality public hospitals. And on Mr Beazley's pet area, education, he said: ""The role for Government is to provide an excellent education system, the best incentives for scientific and technological research, underpinned by a first class communications network."" And Mr Beazley is not abandoning a pledge to roll back the GST, something Labor believes is a vote winner but a promise fraught with danger - too much roll back will cost too much money and allow the government to paint Labor as bad economic managers. Mr Beazley has sought to deal with that in his reply. ""To roll it back we need to know how this tax operates over the next 12 to 18 months. And we need to know how much money is available to roll it back responsibly,"" he said. He says he will not make promises he cannot afford and will reveal details before the next election. That is not soon enough, says the Prime Minister, who wanted detail in the speech. ""It was just a spray of rhetorical pollie speak. It didn't offer any concrete alternative economic strategy,"" he said. ----------------------------------"

" Australian brewers claim excise increases in Tuesday's Budget will lift the price of light beer by up to 12 per cent. They have accused the Government of breaking another goods and services tax (GST) promise. The government increased the excise on beer in Tuesday's Budget to make up for the removal of the wholesale sales tax when the GST begins. The excise on light beer is lower to meet the government's promise that light beer prices will not rise under the GST. No such promise applies for draught beer. But Australian Associated Brewers says in fact the excise increase is such that the price of light beer will increase by up to 12 per cent. Its spokesman Gabriel McDowell says unless the government expects the states to subsidise beer sales, it is another broken promise which will net the Commonwealth $80 million in excise and leave light beer drinkers out of pocket. ""For a glass of beer it would go from $1.90 to about $2.10,"" she said. A government spokesman has been unavailable for comment. ---------------------------------"

" Newcastle University's physics department is about to begin the final phase of testing on a piece of equipment for an Australian- built satellite. Physicist Brian Fraser says the project to build a magnetometer for Fedsat, involves the University of Newcastle and UCLA in California. The satellite will be assembled by Ausspace in Canberra and when it is in space, the magnetometer will measure magnetic fields from 800 kilometres above the earth and send data back to Adelaide. Final tests on the magnetometer begin next month and Professor Fraser says the experience the department is gaining from the project is invaluable. ""We've collaborated with UCLA and we're using their expertise to help us with this and of course as we go down the track hopefully there'll be future magnetometers that we will be building completely in our laboratory here,"" he said. ---------------------------------"

" The management of the Melbourne Football Club has admitted president Joseph Gutnick discussed the problems of drafting a Jewish player prior to last year's AFL national draft. Gutnick, an orthodox Jew, does not attend Saturday matches because it is the sabbath in his religion. Demons football manager Danny Corcoran says there was a minor discussion with Gutnick on the issue prior to the draft. AFL chief executive Wayne Jackson has told Channel Seven the league may investigate the matter, but admits it is a sensitive issue. ""I think we'd all have a high regard for Joseph and his approach to his faith and therefore I think it needs to be very sensitively considered,"" he said."

" The Federal Government claims a crackdown on welfare fraud and overpayment has saved taxpayers $8 million per week. The results of the crackdown are detailed in Centrelink's half-year compliance activity report tabled in Federal Parliament. The report shows there were 1,300 convictions for welfare fraud, involving nearly $12 million. As well, nearly 115,000 people had welfare payments cancelled or reduced between July and December last year. Community Services Minister Larry Anthony says the majority of those people are honest, but failed to comply with requirements. ""For many people it may be because they failed to declare earnings or they may have started a new job and we recognise that,"" he said. ""But by the same token there is a requirement that if they've been receiving social security, receiving other taxpayers' money, then they should notify us."""

" A pioneering hand transplant surgeon says his patient, Clint Hallam, is in the United States for university tests and not because he is rejecting his new hand. The Perth-based Mr Hallam is reported to have told newspapers in the US he is there for urgent treatment because his body is rejecting his two-year-old transplanted hand. The surgeon, Professor Earl Owen, says Mr Hallam is in no danger of losing his hand, but part of the reason could be an arrest warrant, issued by New South Wales police, relating to fraud charges. ""He went over there because he's having cognitive tests in the North-Western University in Chicago, to check the brain function and the hand co-ordination,"" he said. ""He's lucky he got away on Friday of last week. He must have had a tip off because the New South Wales police are now looking for him on a fraud charge."""

" Philippine negotiators say Muslim rebels will decide in the next 24 hours if they will free an ailing German woman, one of 21 foreign nationals held hostage on the island of Jolo. Pleas for the release of 57-year-old Renate Wallert have been made by both her fellow captives and diplomatic representatives. She has been held captive along with 20 others for more than two weeks after being seized at gunpoint from a Malaysian resort island. Kidnapped with her husband and son, it is believed she may have suffered a stroke. In the first face-to-face meeting between negotiators and the Muslim rebel captors, a deadline was set for making a decision on her release. Meanwhile Malaysia has announced it will send a team of medical volunteers to Jolo island, where the hostages are being held. -----------------------------------"

" Investors in the United States have bailed out of high-tech stocks again. Fear once more looks to be taking hold over valuations of companies in the sector. Some disappointing earnings reports have been thrown into the mix overnight and the selling has been much more vigorous than during the declines experienced over the previous two sessions. New York's Nasdaq composite index has crumbled, plunging 200 points. That is a rout of more than 5.5 per cent. The impact has also been felt on the New York Stock Exchange with Hewlett-Packard, IBM and Intel Corporation dumped. Interest-rate sensitive sectors have also been sold off again, ahead of next week's policy meeting at the US Federal Reserve. Although closing well off its lows, the Dow Jones industrial average is down 169 points at 10,368. That is a slide of 1.6 per cent. The US bond market looks to have benefited from a ""safe haven"" effect. Rising bond prices have pushed down the yield on 30-year Treasury paper to 6.15 per cent, a fall of around six points. In Britain, the sharemarket has suffered a third straight loss. Technology, media and telecommunications shares have again led the market lower. London's FT-100 index has dropped 23 points to 6,101. Yesterday in Australia, Telstra was again in the spotlight with its instalment receipts hitting an all-time low as the overall market headed sharply lower. The All Ordinaries index closed 43 points down at 3,012. In overnight trade on the Sydney Futures exchange, just after 7:00am AEST, the Share Price Index contract was down 27 points on yesterday's day settlement at 3,012. The 10-year bond contract is up seven points at 93.53 with the implied yield easing to 6.47 per cent. The Australian dollar has slipped slightly. At 7:00am it was being quoted at around 58.21 US cents, down less than one-tenth of a cent on yesterday's local close. On the cross-rates, it was at 0.6419 Euros, 63.75 Japanese yen, 38.49 pence Sterling and against the New Zealand dollar it was at 1.220. The gold price was at $US277.75 an ounce, oil and West Texas crude is at $US28.24 a barrel. ----------------------------------"

" The Olympic flame has been officially lit. The flame has been ignited in a special ceremony at Olympia in Greece, and is now on its way to Australia. Several thousand people, including a large contingent of Australian tourists were present in the ancient stadium in Olympia for the formal ceremony that signals the start of the last leg of the build-up to the Sydney Games. Olympics Minister Michael Knight pledged to deliver a quality Games that the athletes deserve and a Games that will truly uphold the Olympic ideals. The torch relay that began after the lighting of the flame will now weave its way across Greece for the next 10 days before travelling through the Pacific and on to Australia. In his address, the Governor-General Sir William Deane, said the flame would carry a message of inclusion and harmony when it arrived on Australian soil."

" The Defence Minister, John Moore, has acknowledged that money to upgrade two Collins submarines still will not be enough to make them ready for combat. The Federal Government has allocated $128 million in the Budget to repair two of the six Collins subs, which have been plagued with noise and software problems. Mr Moore says the other four will not be mothballed but it could be years before they are brought up to full standard. Mr Moore says the two undergoing repairs will be in the water by the end of the year but will be limited in their operations. ""At the end of the year these two submarines can carry out limited, limited capacity operations. ""They cannot enter into a total warfare scheme under their present, under what will be the augmented system, but for all intents and essential purposes they will be adequate for use at that point,"" Mr Moore said."

" The Federal Finance Minister John Fahey is being treated for legionella but expects to make a full recovery. It is yet to be determined if Mr Fahey's illness is linked to an outbreak of the disease at the Melbourne Aquarium. He is now on leave from Parliament, after working through Federal Budget preparations while suffering from legionella. While he did attend a Liberal Party function at the aquarium during the outbreak, Victorian health officials are unsure if it is the source of his illness. Members of Parliament, including the Prime Minister, John Howard, and the Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, have wished Mr Fahey a speedy recovery. Mr Fahey will recuperate at home over the next few days."

" Philippine and Libyan envoys are expected to open negotiations with Muslim rebels soon, and seek the release of an ailing German woman held captive with 20 other mostly foreign hostages. Government emissary Ghazali Ibrahim says a doctor with medicine, food and clothing is accompanying the Government negotiating team. The hostages were seized from a Malaysian diving resort by Abu Sayyaf rebels on April 23, and taken to the southern Philippine island of Jolo. Mr Ibrahim says he is initially hoping to secure the release of Renate Wallert, a 57-year-old German woman, who has high blood pressure and has weakened in the tropical heat. ""This we consider a priority to be discussed with them. We will try to talk to them regarding this matter,"" he said."

" British troops continue to evacuate foreign nationals from Sierra Leone today, as fighting between government and rebel forces escalates east of the capital, Freetown. At the same time, United Nations peacekeepers have been forced out of a town less than 60 kilometres from the capital and African leaders have ended a meeting in Nigeria, warning they will use military force to stop any attempt to grab power undemocratically in Sierra Leone. Hercules transport planes on shuttle runs to neighbouring Senegal have evacuated 180 British, Commonwealth and European Union citizens as the situation in Sierra Leone threatens to spiral out of control. The Sierra Leone Army is maintaining a heavy presence on the streets, but residents are unnerved by the reported disappearance of Revolutionary United Front (RUF) leader Foday Sankoh, whose whereabouts is unknown following a gunbattle outside his Freetown residence yesterday. Unconfirmed reports say he is being held by the national army, however those claims have not been independently verified. RUF rebels have also attacked the town of Masiaka, less than 60 kilometres from Freetown, driving UN peacekeepers out of the area and forcing thousands of rural villagers to flee for the capital fearing further attacks. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" International art critic Robert Hughes believes justice has been done in the dismissal by a Broome magistrate of a dangerous driving case against him. The magistrate ruled the prosecution had failed to satisfy him that Mr Hughes had driven dangerously. Mr Hughes was nearly killed in the head-on collision near Broome last May, two men in the other car were also badly injured. Mr Hughes was subsequently charged with dangerous driving. The prosecution alleged that he was travelling on the wrong side of the road. Last night, Broome magistrate Antoine Bloemen threw the case out. He described as a blunder the prosecution's decision not to call two of the men in the other car, who were charged with trying to extort $30,000 from Mr Hughes in return for changing their evidence. Mr Bloemen also ordered the prosecution to pay Mr Hughes' legal bills of $36,000. Mr Hughes says he was always confident of being cleared and able to get on with writing a book on his ordeal. Western Australia's Director of Public Prosecutions, Robert Cock QC, has defended his department's decision not to call the two occupants from the other car who were charged with extortion. ""The Crown is not only quite entitled to, but should have regard to the capacity of the magistrate to accept those witnesses as witnesses of truth,"" Mr Cock said. ""The prosecutor, as I understand it, made it quite clear to the magistrate that in his judgment the witnesses could not be relied upon as witnesses of truth."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, says this year's Budget lays the foundation to secure the future for Australia. It ushers in the major taxation change of the goods and services tax (GST), plus $12 billion of income tax cuts. By June next year the Government will have more than halved the debt it inherited from Labor. The Treasurer is also holding out the prospect of achieving the lowest unemployment rates in 25 years. Overall, the Budget in 2000-2001 is in surplus to the tune of $2.8 billion. It has been largely funded by the sale of new generation mobile phone spectrum licences worth a little over $2.6 billion. That has allowed the Treasurer to keep the Budget in the black and scrap the Timor tax before it has even begun. And according to the Treasury, the economic times ahead do not look so bad."

" Growth will be down from this year but still relatively strong at 3.75 per cent, with a slowing in domestic demand offset by predicted higher business investment and significantly stronger exports. Ongoing inflation is expected to remain well within the Reserve Bank's target range at 2.5 per cent, although the one-off effect of the GST will see inflation spike at 5.75 per cent for the next financial year. Unemployment is predicted to fall to 6.25 by per cent by the end of June 2001. The Treasurer has delivered the targeted spending he promised. There is more for health, defence, East Timor and, at the heart of it, $1.8 billion of new and already announced measures for the electorally all-important rural and regional voters."

" In Welfare, childcare and family assistance schemes will cost an extra $240 million over four years. The Government hopes to raise an extra $100 million a year by including income from companies and trusts in the means test. Two hundred million will be saved by requiring all new dole applicants to sign mutual obligation agreements. The number of work-for-the-dole places will rise from 32,000 to 50,000 in the year ahead. Greenhouse gas reduction schemes are the main feature of the environment budget, attracting $400 million over four years. Elite sport will get an extra $5 million in the year ahead to retain coaches and other professionals after the Olympics. There is more money for film financing, the major performing arts and the development of circus skills. The Budget also confirms the Government's proposed new beer excise regime, aimed at keeping price rises for packaged beer at just under 2 per cent, but leaving the way open for higher increases on bar sales."

" A Broome Magistrate has ruled the dangerous driving case, against international art critic Robert Hughes, should not proceed. Mr Hughes has been on trial accused of driving on the wrong side of the road and causing a head-on collision between his car and another vehicle carrying three men. Mr Hughes nearly died in the crash and two men in the other car seriously injured. Late today, Mr Hughes' defence team submitted the case against their client should be thrown out because the prosecution had not proven he had driven dangerously."

" A judge of the South Australian Supreme Court is to reserve his decision over an application concerning a 13 million dollar civil claim against Alan Bond relating to an alleged fraudulent art deal. A court appointed liquidator for the former Bond Corporation, now known as Southern Equities Corporation, has applied for an injunction to freeze some assets of the Bond family. The liquidator, Mr England wants to stop Alan Bond or his sons, Craig and John from selling any assets of the Carindale Land Corporation, which is worth almost 5 million dollars. However today in the Supreme Court, Justice Debelle said he would reserve his decision on the application. The dispute centres around allegations by Mr England that Alan Bond, his sons and the family's accountant were involved in the fraudulent sale of 13 paintings, including a rare portrait of Captain Cook. It is alledged the paintings were sold in 1989 and sent overseas but that funds from the sale, and some of the paintings were returned to Australia through Carindale Land Corporation. The court is due to hear further submissions on the matter next week."

" The Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, has dismissed a claim the Budget could be in a structural deficit of $5.6 billion. Access Economics has made the prediction, which it describes as ""worrying"", about the 2000-2001 Budget, in its latest Budget Monitor report. But Mr Costello says Access Economics is wrong. ""I noticed for example, one of the things it's premised on is NAIRU, the Non-Accelerating Inflation Rate of Unemployment is 6.7 per cent - so Access says structural unemployment in this country is 6.7 per cent - that's something I would never agree with,"" he said. ""I would never agree with the proposition that unemployment in this country can't go lower than 6.7 per cent."" Mr Costello says the Budget, to be brought down tomorrow, will continue the Government's good economic management. He says there will be targeted spending measures, expected to be in areas such as health and education, and the Budget will remain in surplus."

" Australia says restoring diplomatic ties with North Korea gives it an opportunity to encourage Pyongyang to engage in regional dialogue. Australia and North Korea have announced separately they will resume full relations after a 25 year freeze. The two countries established diplomatic ties in 1974, but Pyongyang expelled Australian diplomats there the following year and closed its own embassy in Canberra without explanation. The Foreign Affairs Minister, Alexander Downer, says the Federal Government believes it can achieve more by dealing with North Korea than ignoring it. ""It is my view that in the main it makes much more sense to engage with a country rather than to ignore them or turn your back on them, in general that is likely to be a more constructive approach,"" he said. ""It's the view of the Australian Government that despite the concerns we have about North Korea, nevertheless we think it makes more sense to engage with them rather than ignore them."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The ANZ Bank is expecting employment growth to come further off the boil over the next three months. Its regular survey of newspaper job advertising shows a drop in April of 0.8 per cent. The average weekly number of ""positions vacant"" notices was a seasonally-adjusted 29,513. ANZ chief economist Saul Eslake says that points to actual employment growth of around 15,000 additional places per month over the next three months. ""That's down nearly 9,000 from the average of 23,600 new jobs per month that has been recorded over the six months to March,"" Mr Eslake said. ""If we get an average of 15,000 new jobs per month over the next three months then the unemployment rate would likely remain in the 6.75 to 7 per cent range that has been established since the end of last year."""

" Britain has begun the first phase of the mass evacuation of citizens from Sierra Leone, where clashes between rival factions have spread to the capital. Britain says all of its citizens are being called in to a central hotel near the beach in Freetown, the usual departure point for previous evacuations from the city. More than 200 paratroopers have also arrived at the international airport to secure the facility and assist with the evacuation of foreign nationals if security continues to deteriorate. In the latest incident, opponents of Revolutionary United Front (RUF) leader Foday Sankoh were fired upon as they marched towards his house in protest over the capturing of UN peacekeepers by RUF fighters. As many as seven people were killed in the ensuing gun battle, which took place in the presence of UN peacekeepers. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Health, education and rural Australia are expected to be among the focal points of today's federal Budget. But the initiatives will be specifically targeted, as the government plans to keep the Budget in surplus. The Treasurer, Peter Costello, says the 2000-2001 Budget will continue the government's commitment to good economic management. ""It's important that we make decisions that can secure Australia's future and that's what we intend to do,"" he said. Mr Costello says the Budget will, however, begin to address areas of priority, which include health and education. Regional and rural Australia are also expected to benefit from measures to improve health and other services. As well, there is likely to be a modest increase in spending on defence. Mr Costello expects the Opposition will try to have the Senate block some components of the budget, but says he is not expecting any major problems. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Tax workers will start enforcing work bans this morning that could affect goods and services tax (GST) preparations. The industrial action is part of an ongoing wage dispute. Members of the Community and Public Sector Union voted on the work bans last week. The tax office is playing down the industrial action. Assistant tax commissioner Glenda Sullivan says she only expects 5 per cent of workers will participate in the bans. ""We'll be obviously treating each other professionally in the workplace and in accordance with the law, and we'll be making sure our managers are briefed on how to deal with any situations that emerge,"" Ms Sullivan said. The union, however, is expecting a much higher compliance rate. It has also threatened to step up its campaign if heavy-handed tactics are used against workers enforcing the bans. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The world's number one tennis player Andre Agassi and Australia's teenage sensation Lleyton Hewitt have had opening round wins at the Italian Open Masters tournament. Agassi easily defeated fellow United States entrant Todd Martin 6-2, 7-6. Hewitt, a winner of three titles already this season on hardcourt, beat the Austrian Stefan Koubek 6-4, 6-2."

" People interested in buying tickets to popular Olympic athletic sessions can order over the telephone today and tomorrow. Five previously sold-out sessions of athletics including the men's and women's 100 metres finals are available by phone. Tickets to the remaining track and field sessions can be bought by using the order form published today in News Limited newspapers. The telephone number for the call centre and the codes to order particular seats are printed in those papers as well. Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) chief executive Sandy Hollway says the ticketing policy is as easy and fair as possible. ""Let's get real here, we're dealing with an extraordinary policy and operational challenge,"" Mr Hollway said. ""If this was easy we never would have stumbled. We're not fools."" Australian sprinter and Olympic hopeful Matt Shirvington says a strong home crowd would give athletes a tremendous boost. ""I would really love the Australian public to be there and to support the Australian athletes especially,"" Shirvington said. ""A lot of tickets are going overseas and a lot of tickets are going to officials and so on and I think for us to have a huge Australian contingency in the crowd would make things much easier for us."" Shirvington has called on the public to forget SOCOG's previous ticketing fiasco. ""I think those sorts of things, when the Olympics come round, are going to be forgotten,"" Shirvington said. ""If you're holding onto tickets, you're going to experience something that you're not going to possibly experience for the rest of your life."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Another two people have contracted legionnaire's disease. The total number of confirmed cases of legionnaire's disease rose to 69, after two Victorian men were diagnosed as having contracted the illness. The outbreak, sourced to the Melbourne Aquarium, has claimed the lives of two people and eight are still listed in a critical condition. The number of suspected cases stands at 23, with 12 in Victoria, three each in New South Wales and Tasmania, two in New Zealand and one each in Queensland, the United Kingdom and the United States. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Rebels in Sierra Leone have opened fire on a United Nations helicopter causing it to make a forced landing. The helicopter was forced down outside the rebel stronghold of Makeni where it had flown to evacuate peacekeepers wounded in fighting last week between UN troops and the rebels. UN spokesman Philip Winslow says the helicopter was one of two UN aircraft authorised by RUF leader Foday Sankoh to evacuate the wounded and deliver food and supplies to peacekeepers being detained by rebel soldiers in the strongholds of Makeni and Magburaka. Mr Winslow says as one helicopter was taking off rebel soldiers began running towards the airstrip and opened fire. The helicopter managed to fly 10 kilometres before being forced to put down. A second helicopter in the area rescued the crew and injured soldiers on board. The UN says the incident represents a serious violation of peace accords. A mission of UN officials and a rebel commander to the Makeni district have attempted to negotiate the release of more than 500 detained peacekeepers but have failed to achieve any breakthrough. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The number of confirmed cases of legionnaire's disease, sourced to the Melbourne Aquarium, has risen to 72. Three more Victorians have contracted the disease, with another 30 suspected cases. Victoria's Human Services Department says more than 5,000 tests have been done and more cases may be diagnosed. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The love bug computer virus that has crashed electronic mail around the world over the past 48 hours is still active, reaching as far as United States Defence Department computers at the Pentagon. The virus that originally came in a message headed ""I Love You"" also appears to have some other disguises. Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon says a classified internal e-mail system was contaminated by the love bug and another classified system was infected. ""Despite these episodes, the Joint Task Force on Computer Network Defense says that it has received no reports that the virus had an impact on military operations,"" he said. While anti-virus companies have released electronic fixes to kill the malicious computer program that spreads by email and can damage computer files, there is a new menace from cyber vandals. New messages, possibly sent by copy-cats, are also carrying the virus program. They are headed ""Fwd:Joke"" or ""Very Funny"" and like the original message, appear to come from someone known to the recipient. The sneakiest new disguise for what is being called the world's most malicious computer virus is a message that falsely says your credit card has been charged several hundred dollars for a Mother's Day present. Outraged credit card owners are then asked to click an attachment for invoice details. If they do so, they open the virus program. Multimedia additions to this story are available at ""http://www.abc.net.au/news/2000/05/item20000506073553_1.htm"". -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The United Nations mission in Sierra Leone is calling for the urgent deployment of 3,000 UN peacekeepers who are due to be sent to the troubled west African nation. The call came as the number of UN peacekeepers being held hostage by the rebels topped 300. United Nations spokesman Phillip Winslow says the move by rebels of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) effectively tears up peace accords signed last year. The UN says a contingent of 208 Zambian soldiers en route to reinforce UN positions in the east of the country have been rounded up by RUF soldiers and 13 armoured personel carriers have been stolen. RUF leader Foday Sankoh is facing increasing criticism from the UN and other world governments for allowing his fighters to threaten Sierra Leone's already shakey peace deal. The first contingent of nearly 100 peacekeepers were taken after fire fights broke out when they tried to fully disarm RUF fighters in the east of the country as they are mandated to do. The United States has joined the chorus of international condemnation of the RUF and Mr Sankoh, warning that unless the UN peacekeepers are immediately released the entire peace process may be jeopardised. An audio report on the situation in Sierra Leone is available at ""http://www.abc.net.au/news/2000/05/item20000506081906_1.htm"". -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" British Prime Minister Tony Blair has suffered a double loss in local government elections. Labour lost the race for Mayor of London to its former MP, Ken Livingstone, and also lost a swathe of seats throughout Britain to the Conservative Party, which won nearly 600 new positions. Labour's 'true believers' and pensioners deserted the party in some of its heartland, best illustrated in Labour's collapsed vote in London. The Conservative Party was expected to do well throughout the country from its earlier tiny base and the net gain of nearly 600 seats has restored it to a viable opposition in all tiers of government. But even the Tories had a disaster, as fickle voters combined with some tactical Labour voting to see them lose the blue ribbon seat of Romley to the Liberal Democrats. Overall, despite public eduction programs, the level of voluntary voting remained disappointingly low, below 40 per cent. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The New South Wales Council of Churches has called for fast food chain McDonalds to withdraw an advertisement they believe is promoting the occult. The advertisment shows a group of young people holding a seance and receiving a message from the dead. The council - representing the Anglican, Baptist and Presbyterian churches, the Salvation Army and other religious groups - says it has been overwhelmed by complaints. Council president Ray Hoekzema says the advertisement's promotion of seances is inappropriate for a family restaurant and could be harmful for young people. ""These things are dangerous especially for kids, being very impressive,"" he said. ""There is a strong oppressive power released in one of these seances, if they put their minds to it and has some detrimental effects and especially for kids, this is inappropriate."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Police Union in Western Australia has dismissed the claims of corruption. Union president Mike Dean says there is no evidence to support Mr O'Connor's claims and he has called into question the ACC chairman's state of mind. ""He's obviously stressed out, extremely stressed. It's fairly irresponsible to make blanket statements against any group of individuals at any time. ""I'd also like to say that the commissioner of police, most of the command group are long-serving detectives of 20 or 30 years experience within the criminal investigations branch. ""If what Mr O'Connor is saying is correct I'd certainly ask him to put up some evidence to that effect,"" he said."

" The community's response to the new tax system and the value of the Australian dollar appear to hold the key to future interest rate movements. Goods and services tax (GST) impacts and the currency are the issues of greatest uncertainty in the Reserve Bank's latest assessment of the economy. Hard on the heels of Wednesday's latest increase in official interest rates, the Reserve Bank today issued its semi-annual statement on monetary policy. The central bank says by putting aside the effects on the new tax system, the four rate increases since last November should keep inflation within its targeted range during the coming year to 18 months. That would tend to suggest that official rates are on hold for the time being. But the Reserve Bank is assuming there will be no second round effects on inflation from the GST, and it is worried about an increasing push to include GST-based renegotiation clauses in wage agreements. The weak Australian dollar is another area of uncertainty and concern, with the inflation rate also depending on how long the lower exchange rate is sustained."

" The Australian Cricket Board (ACB) has revealed its response to the international fight against match-fixing, with plans to tackle the issue on five fronts. The board will appoint a special investigator to follow leads and liaise with the International Cricket Council's (ICC) new investigator when his focus turns to Australia. Australian cricket will also adopt the ICC's new penalties which cover players, umpires and officials. A conference will be held with representatives of all major Australian sporting bodies to develop wider strategies to combat corruption. The board's existing player education campaign will be expanded to cover all senior and junior contracted players as well as officials. And all players and officials will be asked to sign an undertaking before each series to play within the rules and the spirit of the game."

" Australian swimmer Samantha Riley has been admitted to a hospital in Cairns with a kidney infection. The setback comes just over a week from the Australian Olympic trials. Australian Swimming head coach Don Talbot says the news is a setback in the lead-up to the trials. ""I've talked to her coach this morning and he said that she was there and she's being treated, she's been in a couple of days. ""It didn't seem to be serious from what he was saying, but enough to put her in there and you know at this time she's resting anyway so I think we just have to wait and see,"" he said."

" The ATO has played down the union's threat of industrial action, claiming it lacks support. Tax office management is not concerned, saying the campaign to recruit almost 5,000 staff to administer the GST is running smoothly and delays are unlikely. The ATO Assistant Commissioner, Glenda Sullivan, says the union's call for an eight per cent pay increase is unreasonable. ""The ATO has to consider what we're doing now but we also have to stay financially sustainable while providing the maximum resources for our staff,"" she said. Ms Sullivan claims today's stop work action was attended by no more than 10 per cent of the nation's taxation staff."

" The number of cases of legionnaire's disease linked to the Melbourne Aquarium has risen to 66. Test results show the aquarium's cooling towers were the source of the outbreak. The latest test results released by the Department of Human Services showed there are now 66 cases of legionnaire's disease in Victoria - 38 males and 28 females, ranging in age from 26 to 89. All but one visited the Melbourne Aquarium between April 11 and April 25. The number of deaths remains at two, and eight people are still in a critical condition. Twenty-eight people in Victoria are awaiting test results along with 13 people from interstate and overseas. Laboratory analysis also shows the level of legionella bacteria in the cooling towers was extremely high, confirming the cause of the outbreak."

" Meanwhile, wildlife biologists have questioned claims the project would rehabilitate the species. Wildlife biologist Nick Mooney, from the Tasmanian Parks and Wildlife Service, says while an interesting academic exercise, the project is nothing more than a ""one-off freak show"" which will not necessarily help conservation. ""Considering their value, they would be worth millions of dollars each and I really cannot see them being put back in the wild, except for a one-off freak show. ""We're interested ultimately in having a functioning ecology, with animals doing their thing, being predators, evolving, being part of the whole system, and it's very hard to imagine how we get there from a cloned animal. ""So however extraordinary and interesting this is, it's a long way from having anything but a freak show,"" he said."

" Sierra Leone's rebel leader has reportedly agreed to free 49 United Nations hostages, after his home was surrounded by peacekeepers in the capital, Freetown. The UN has condemned the killing of seven peacekeepers by the rebels. Diplomats who attended a security council briefing in New York on the crisis say the seven killed were members of a Kenyan battalion supervising the disarmament of camps north-east of Freetown. Nearly 50 peacekeeping personnel, both military and civilian, are believed to be still held by the rebel army - the RUF - at two sites in the country. UN Secretary General Kofi Annan has condemend the killings and kidnappings as outrageous, and accused the RUF of breaching the terms of last year's peace accords, meant to end eight years of civil war in Sierra Leone. -------------------------------"

" A group of Canberra researchers say they have found a way to reduce the spread of illnesses in childcare centres, partly through handwashing. The Australian National University study of 500 children in the ACT, found colds were cut by 17 per cent and diarrhoea by two thirds, with simple practices such as wiping toys. Dr Leslee Roberts says the children were also taught songs to sing while they washed their hands for the required 20 seconds. She says the findings have an economic benefit, reducing the time parents need to take off work with sick children. ""The hours they are away from work are...a cost in terms of their productivity...and [for] some people it becomes a threat to their continued employment,"" she said. --------------------------------"

" There have been unexpected developments in the forthcoming trial of prominent art critic and author Robert Hughes. Two key prosecution witnesses have been charged with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. In May last year, Mr Hughes was involved in a traffic crash near Broome and was charged with two counts of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm. His trial is due to begin in Broome on Monday, but last night, police charged two key trial witnesses with conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. The men were the driver and passenger in the car that collided with Mr Hughes' vehicle. It is alleged they demanded $30,000 from Mr Hughes in exchange for altered testimony. The Director of Public Prosecutions Robert Cock QC says despite the latest charges, the trial will still proceed, adding that his office has a case against Mr Hughes without the testimony of the two witnesses. Mr Hughes' lawyer Mark Andrews says Mr Hughes will not comment on the matter until after his trial. ---------------------------------"

" The Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, has backed the Reserve Bank's actions in raising interest rates and rejected arguments the rise will eat up tax cuts to be delivered in July. Australia's ""big four"" banks say they have lending rates under review after the Reserve Bank this morning lifted rates by 0.25 of a percentage point. The Australian dollar has risen since the rate announcement and by about 1:00pm AEST was trading at about 59.01 US cents. Mr Costello says the government's task is to keep the economy growing, although he has expressed some caution about the prospect of the current growth being maintained. He says home owners should take into account more than just interest rates when assessing their position. ""I think the average person on average wages over the last year, as a result of a 3.5 per cent increase in wages after tax, will have $32 a week more,"" he said. ""If you want to bring everything into a person's position, mortgage, tax, Medicare, welfare, presumably you'd be bringing wages in as well."""

" Ten patients at the Royal Melbourne Hospital may have been exposed to the fatal brain disorder, Creutzfeld Jakob disease (CJD), after a breach in infection control procedures. Victorian Health Minister John Thwaites has revealed surgical equipment used on a patient who possibly has the disease was then used on the 10 other patients. Mr Thwaites says one of the patients has since died from an unrelated condition. The Minister says such a serious breach of infection control standards cannot be tolerated and he has ordered a full inquiry into the incident. The neurosurgeon involved will also face a separate investigation to see whether he is guilty of professional misconduct."

" Parodi has still has not made contact with his family, despite an appeal from his sister to give himself up. Mr Meyer says they are still hoping the wanted man will call his family or give himself up. ""I spoke to his sister...yesterday afternoon to see whether they had been able to get any response, whether he'd contacted the family, that hasn't occurred yet, nor has he contacted police,"" he said. ""Certainly she's very concerned for his welfare and of course for anybody else in the community. ""The family doesn't want to see anyone else get hurt and certainly that's paramount in the minds of the police that are responding here today as well."""

" The number of confirmed cases of legionnaire's disease linked to the Melbourne Aquarium has jumped to 58. The Victorian Human Services Department says there are also 35 suspected cases of the disease, including some overseas. Two people have already died as a result of Australia's biggest legionnella outbreak The Human Services Department has this afternoon released the latest list of cases. The department's John Carnie says one of the new patients visited the aquarium on April 25. All the rest were at or near the site between April 11 and 21. Nine are still in a critical condition. He says the department is awaiting test results on a further 35 people who visited the aquarium. They include two patients from New Zealand, one from the United Kingdom, two from New South Wales, four from Tasmania and one from Queensland. But Dr Carnie stresses more than 90 per cent of the people concerned about the disease have been given the all clear. He says test results on water samples from the aquarium's cooling towers have not been finalised."

" Police have again cordoned off streets in Brisbane's north where there has been another unconfirmed sighting of a man wanted in connection with Monday's shooting of three police officers. Police are searching for Nigel Parodi. Just before 5:30am AEST police rushed to Hanbury Street in Chermside West, the scene of Monday's triple shooting. Police at the scene apparently heard a disturbance and called for back-up. With guns drawn, police in bullet-proof vests are stopping and searching vehicles at road blocks around the area. Parodi is wanted for questioning over the shooting of three police officers, an incident that sparked a massive manhunt. Police say reports last night of shots being fired at a nearby hospital proved to be a false alarm. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government has cut off childcare payments for thousands of parents who have failed to have their children immunised. The government repeatedly warned parents it would link childcare assistance to their children's immunisation status. About 9,000 parents have failed to comply, despite the warnings and an extension of time. Community Services Minister Larry Anthony says the government has done all it can to convince parents of the importance of immunisation. ""Look, we've given a lot of notice and even in the last month after our third letter we've also attempted to phone around 7,000 people to make that contact,"" he said. ""So every effort is being made by the government to contact these people, but we expect them to make a conscientious decision if they're not going to immunise their child."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A senior cricket official has suggested granting amnesties to some corrupt players to encourage them to give evidence about match-fixing. International Cricket Council chief executive David Richards will tonight outline the idea to a meeting of the game's leaders in London. Australian Cricket Board chairman Denis Rogers opposes the plan but Mr Richards believes it may be the only way to clean up cricket corruption. ""What we must do now is get everybody who has got the best interests of cricket in their heart to bring forward that evidence into the game, bring it out into the public domain,"" he said. ""We might have to do that in a discrete fashion. We might have to give an amnesty to people who bring forward that information. ""I don't have a personal problem with that but again the board has to make a decision on that."""

" Muslim rebels holding 21 people captive on the southern Philippines island of Jolo have threatened to behead two foreign hostages unless the military ceases its operations in the area. A spokesman for Abu Sayyaf said the rebel group would give the Philippines military a big surprise, threatening to send it the heads of two foreign hostages, maybe tomorrow, or in the days to come. The spokesman said Abu Sayyaf had seen Philippines troops edging towards rebel positions on the island of Jolo. Speaking to journalists who visited the rebel camp with a medical team, hostages pleaded with the military to cease operations, claiming its advance on the camp was stopping the kidnappers from obtaining food for hostages. One hostage said the crisis would end in a bloodbath if the Philippines military launched a rescue attempt."

" Police are not releasing details of a note, believed to have been written by a man wanted over the shooting of three officers. A massive manhunt was launched yesterday morning following the shootings at Chermside, in Brisbane's north. Police want to question 32-year-old Nigel Parodi, who remains at large this afternoon, despite several unconfirmed sightings. Inspector John Hegarty says police are leaving no stone unturned in their search. ""I can confirm a note was found, but I'm not going to discuss the contents of it,"" he said. ""We can't confirm any sighting at the moment and that's somewhat frustrating from a police perspective that people come forward and say they've seen this person in a particular place, but it can't be confirmed."""

" Chermside residents still fear the gunman who shot three police officers yesterday, may be hiding nearby. They are taking no chances, with some people still staying at home behind locked doors. Escorting her seven-year-old daughter to nearby Craigslea State School, Wendy says many parents are still worried. ""Very very concerned,"" she said. ""I'd just checked with the school to see what they're doing about it and just to make sure that the kids aren't going off to the toilet by themselves and everything like that, so they're keeping the kids in today and [the] daycare centre's been locked up tight."""

" Prime Minister John Howard has joined Israelis in a special commemoration to the six million victims of the Nazi genocide. Mr Howard is in Jerusalem, where the Jewish community is observing Holocaust Remembrance Day. For more than 50 years, the Holocaust has been commemorated in a special ceremony. Victims re-light a flame in the Holocaust Memorial's Hall of Memory, where the names of 22 of the main Nazi concentration camps are inscribed. At sunset, the flags are lowered to half-mast, and in the most complete national holiday, cafes, restaurants and cinemas are closed for 24-hours until the end of mourning, which includes a minute's silence. Earlier in the day, Mr Howard visited Gaza and invited PLO chairman Yasser Arafat to visit Australia. He also expressed support for Palestinian self-determination. The Prime Minister urged Israel and the Palestinians to increase their efforts to achieve peace. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australian Opposition leader Kim Beazley today lambasted Prime Minister John Howard for failing to visit Indonesia to help repair bilateral ties. Mr Beazley said that despite the rift that opened between Indonesia and Australia over East Timor, Mr Howard should not have left it so long. The Opposition leader made the comments after a 30-minute meeting with Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid last night. Mr Beazley applauded Mr Wahid's proposal to establish a tripartite commission to quickly resolve problems in the region between Indonesia, Australia and East Timor, saying it dovetailed well with Labor's belief in being a good neighbour. But Mr Beazley said Mr Howard's two visits to Indonesia in recent years were not enough and he should have come to meet MrWahid before this. ""I regard visits to the neighbourhood by Australian prime ministers as routine,"" Mr Beazley told reporters. ""And I do believe Mr Howard should be here, yes, I believe he should have been here much earlier,"" he said. Mr Howard has not been to Indonesia since Mr Wahid became President in October. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" May Day marches and rallies in at least three European cities turned violent overnight. In the German city of Hamburg, several hundred rioters threw stones, broke windows and set bonfires until they were dispersed by police using water cannons. Twenty-one police officers were injured and 134 people were arrested. Police in Berlin also used water cannons against some 5,000 left-wing demonstrators who set fire to a barricade and threw stones, bottles and fireworks. Several dozen people were arrested. In London, seven people were taken to hospital, including three police officers, after fighting broke out at an anti-capitalist rally in front of the Houses of Parliament. One policeman was seriously hurt when hit in the face by a brick. At least 22 people were arrested for drunkenness, public order offences or carrying weapons. ----------------------------------------------------------------"

" St George-Illawarra rugby league player Anthony Mundine has declined to answer questions on his return from overseas. Mundine returned to Sydney this morning from Honolulu. He has been overseas for more than a week and had left Sydney without the permission of his club. Mundine says he is not commenting, following a chat with coach David Waite this morning. The Dragons' club is set to look at the issue today, with Mundine likely to be called to explain his actions to club officials."

" More than 190 people have been rescued from a luxury cruise ship that hit a rock and started sinking in the Solomon Islands, about half an hour from the capital, Honiara. Australian Maritime Safety officials say an SOS received from the World Discoverer was passed on to shipping in the region and the 112 passengers and 80 crew were taken on board another vessel, the Isabella, this morning. The World Discoverer was carrying passengers on a $12,000 a head ""Mysteries of Papua New Guinea"" cruise and was on its way from Fiji and Vanuatu to Papua New Guinea when the accident occurred. All passengers are reported to be safe. Tickets for the cruise were sold through travel companies in the United States and Germany. The ship is owned by Society Expeditions of the United States. A near civil war is underway in the Solomons and the US State Department has a travel advisory out against travel to the main island of Guadalcanal. ----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Security forces in the Philippines have sprayed tear gas into a tunnel complex where they believe Muslim extremists are holding at least 27 hostages they have held for six weeks in the south of the country. A military spokesman says soldiers reported hearing a child's voice as they began searching the extensive tunnel system. But they said Abu Sayyaf rebels had earlier been seen fleeing through a side exit from the tunnel. Inside the tunnel, troops found children's sandals, generators. weapons and sacks of rice. The hostages, mostly school children, were among about 50 people seized by the rebels, who have also taken captive a number of hostages from a Malaysian resort in a separate seizure. The rebels have listed a number of demands, including the granting of an autonomous region in the southern Philippines. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Victorian health authorities have confirmed a further five people have developed legionnaire's disease linked to the Melbourne Aquarium. It takes the number of confirmed cases to 23. The Human Services Department received test results on the five people last night, confirming that the flu-like symptoms they had developed were in fact linked to legionnaire's disease. Seventeen others are still waiting to learn if they too have the disease, which has already killed an 83-year-old Melbourne woman and a 79-year-old Shepparton woman and hospitalised several others. It is the largest outbreak of legionnaire's disease in Victoria and health authorities believe it could get worse as more test results come through in the next few days. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Prime Minister John Howard will hold bilateral talks with his Israeli counterpart Ehud Barak today as he begins the third leg of his overseas trip. Mr Howard arrived in Israel late yesterday and spent the evening sightseeing, taking in the old city of Jerusalem, including the Western Wall and the el Aqsa mosque. Today, Mr Howard will receive an honorary doctorate from the Bar Ilan University in Tel Aviv for his support of the Middle East peace process. He will then address a business lunch, in a bid to drum up more interest in Australian exports to the region. Late today, Mr Howard will meet Mr Barak for bilateral talks. Mr Howard is expected to raise Australian concerns about the Middle East peace process as well as an Israeli court's decision on the Maccabiah Games disaster. The courts have found organisers responsible for the Maccabiah bridge collapse, but there has been little movement on compensation for the victims. Mr Howard has discussed the issue with the Australian Council of Jewry and he has promised to raise the issue in his talks with Mr Barak. The survivors of the disaster want the Israeli Government to commit to compensation up front. After the meeting, Mr Howard will lay a wreath at the Yad Veshem memorial to victims of the holocaust. On Monday, Mr Howard will meet Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and will urge both sides to find a lasting peace in the Middle East. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The United States Justice Department has asked a Federal Court in Washington to split software giant Microsoft into two independent companies, one to develop operating systems and the other to focus on computer applications. Backed by a coalition of state attorneys-general, the department submitted the request to US District Court Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson, who on April 3 ruled that Microsoft was in violation of US antitrust laws. ""This is the right remedy at the right time,"" US Attorney-General Janet Reno said. ""Our proposal will stimulate competition, promote innovation and give consumers new and better choices in the marketplace."" Microsoft chairman Bill Gates blasted the proposal, warning that it would have a ""chilling effect"" on the future of the information industry. ""These proposals would have a chilling effect on innovation in the high-technology industry,"" Mr Gates said in a videotaped message aired minutes after Justice Department lawyers filed their break-up recommendation. Mr Gates said the company he had co-founded ""could never have developed Windows under these rules"". ""Looking forward, this kind of regulation would make it impossible for Microsoft to develop the next generation of great software."" Microsoft will now have until May 10 to file its preliminary response to the department's proposals, after which Judge Jackson will hold hearings, expected to begin May 24, on the remedies to be applied. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition says the Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, has lost the plot over a plan to make refugees with temporary visas pay for the costs of their detention. Mr Ruddock says the user-pays scheme would apply to refugees granted temporary asylum who are able to find work and would require refugees to payback some of their detention costs. The scheme is designed to recoup some of the millions of dollars the government spends on housing and feeding refugees. But the Shadow Immigration Minister, Con Sciacca, says the plan defeats the purpose of humanitarian aid. ""What we should be doing is trying to include them into the broader community,"" he said. ""You're not going to be able to do that if you don't give them English language courses to help them to be able to speak the language and thus get a job. ""To saddle them with expenses that we don't even saddle our murderers and our rapists with that do time in our jail, I think is a loopy idea."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The leader of Zimbabwe's independence war veterans says he will deal severely with any person committing acts of violence against the country's white farmers or their workers. The assurance has come during talks with farmers representatives to ease the tension on occupied properties across Zimbabwe. The agreement reached between the Commercial Farmers Union and the War Veterans Association does not address how the issue of land reform will be taken forward but may serve to defuse tension on occupied farms. Veterans will be allowed to remain on white-owned properties but on the proviso that any person responsible for violence against farmers or their workers will be severely dealt with. The farm owners will be allowed to return to their land unhindered. The leader of the war veterans association, Chenjerai Hunzvi, says violence must stop forthwith, while more formal negotiations on the issue of land redistribution are held. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Police in Indonesia's largest port city of Surabaya have tightened security to stop a Muslim jihad army sailing to the strife torn eastern Maluku Islands. Seven people have died in the island capital, Ambon, in two days of renewed fighting between Christians and Muslims. Residents in Ambon say many people are hiding in their homes, preparing to flee if violence on the streets escalates. Police in Surabaya, which is the main sea gateway to Indonesia's eastern islands, say they will not allow Muslim soldiers to board ships bound for Ambon to wage a holy war against Christians. Three-thousand jihad troops recently completed military-style training at a camp near Jakarta and their leaders have vowed they would soon leave by ship for Ambon. Indonesian security forces have not been able to control sectarian fighting, which has claimed thousands of lives in the Malukus during the last two years. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Governor-General, Sir William Deane, has delivered an emotional speech at the fourth anniversary of the Port Arthur tragedy in Tasmania. Sir William joined hundreds of visitors at the site for the opening of a memorial garden to commemorate the 35 who died in the shootings. The native garden sits alongside the shell of the Broad Arrow Cafe which was the scene of the greatest number of deaths. Up to 800 people, many of them victims who survived the shootings, joined today's ceremony to reflect and mourn. Sir William dedicated the new memorial garden as a permanent shrine to those who died. ""This will be a permanent shrine to which all Australians, especially to those affected by the tragedy, may in the future come to reflect upon that day in our national life,"" he said. Opening the ceremony, local Reverend Henry Ivey indicated today's service will probably be the last of its kind, with future anniversaries commemorated by small private gatherings at the site."

" Three hundred jobs are expected to be lost in the dairy industry after an announcement by Bonlac Foods which will close four of its manufacturing plants. Factories in Drouin and Toora in Gippsland will be closed by the end of the year, as will a plant at Camperdown in western Victoria and Legerwood in Tasmania. Bonlac has also announced a merger with the New Zealand Dairy Board which both organisations say will make it stronger in a global economy. Dairy producers who supply Bonlac have met in Melbourne to discuss today's announcement. Many have walked away unhappy, claiming the company refused to nominate a competitive milk price. Bonlac Foods says the closure of four manufacturing plants will lead to a more competitive price for farmers. Bonlac chief executive Alex Sloan says the closures are necessary if the company is to get a competitive milk price for its suppliers. ""Certainly Bonlac Foods needs to be more efficient than it is today and that's the rationalisation program,"" he said. ""We recognise that we have been building very substantial value in this business over the few years but we are not currently paying a competitive milk price."""

" State and territory immigration ministers have demanded the Federal Government suspend issuing temporary protection visas to illegal immigrants, claiming it is an unfair burden to them. However, Federal Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, has rejected the request, made at a ministerial immigration and multicultural affairs meeting in New Zealand. West Australian Multicultural Affairs Minister, Rob Johnson, has condemned the Federal Government for dismissing their concerns. He says since January more than 200 illegal immigrants detained in the far north of Western Australia have been issued temporary visas, with the state to bear the brunt of the costs. ""I don't believe Western Australian taxpayers should be forced to foot the bill for illegal immigrants which are basically the responsibility of the Commonwealth Government,"" he said. ""If the Commonwealth is not prepared to meet its obligations and the costs that it'll be imposing on the state's then these people should be sent home."""

" The latest inflation figures will be released this morning and they could seal another interest rate rise next Wednesday. Analysts are tipping Australia's annual inflation rate will jump to nearly 3 per cent in the March quarter, which would be at the top end of the Reserve Bank's target. Higher housing and petrol costs are expected to have driven the consumer price index up about 1 per cent in the first three months of the year. Yesterday, annual wages growth of 4 per cent surprised analysts, adding weight to the Reserve's worries about inflation. --------------------------------"

" New figures show international tourists are spending more time and money in Australia. According to the Bureau of Tourism Research, visitor spending for the year to September totalled just under $9 billion, an increase of 16 per cent on the previous 12 months. The number of nights spent by tourists in Australia was also up, rising by 14 per cent to 106 million. The Australian Tourist Commission says the softness of the Australian dollar against other major currencies has encouraged greater spending. According to the figures, the average tourist spends around $2,200 while in the country, with accommodation, shopping and organised tours the biggest outlays. --------------------------------"

" After revealing an after-tax loss of more than $130 million for last year, car maker Mitsubishi has announced a further 600 jobs are to go from its two Adelaide plants. The latest job cuts are part of a restructuring program and follow a warning from Mitsubishi in Japan that the plants could be wound back if they do not start making money. Mitsubishi Australia's Robert Gardener says the restructuring will not affect workers directly involved in vehicle production. Three hundred production jobs were lost late last year. At present, the company has about 4,000 employees in Adelaide. Mr Gardener says the $130 million loss can be put down to several factors, including the strengthening of the Japanese yen and a general slow-down in new car sales across Australia. He says speculation about Mitsubishi's future in Australia has also hurt sales. ""I hope the measures we are announcing today, along with our commitment to invest, will put such uncertainties to rest once and for all,"" he said."

" The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) expects cheaper long distance phone calls following a benchmark report today. The ACCC report shows Telstra has been overcharging companies which connect to Telstra's fixed network to sell their own long distance deals. Commission chairman Professor Allan Fels says Telstra had given an undertaking to charge 2.3 cents per minute but he says the commission's costings shows it should be 1.8 cents. He says he expects both Telstra and its competitors to lower their prices, so that consumers can get savings of around 5 per cent. ""Long distance we believe 5 per cent, remember there are millions of phone lines, there are 10 million phone lines in Australia and all of them will benefit or potentially benefit from this decision."""

" Meanwhile, Australia's third carrier, AAPT, has welcomed the ruling, as a victory for consumers and a boost to competition. AAPT says telecommunications companies will have greater flexibility to become more competitive, especially in pricing. It says being able to further drive down costs should benefit the company and its shareholders. However, the firm says Telstra's interconnection charges will still be too high, and it will continue to push for charges of around one cent per minute, in line with rates charged overseas."

" Meanwhile, a national alliance has been formed to push politicians and the public into improving the health of indigenous Australians. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has announced in Canberra that it has joined forces with the National Aboriginal Community Control Health Organisation (NACCHO). The new alliance says it has two main objectives, firstly improve co-ordination among Aboriginal health groups and secondly lobby for more funding to tackle more serious health problems plaguing the Aboriginal community. The AMA says pushing for more funds could prove the most difficult of the two tasks. Federal AMA president Dr David Brand said at today's announcement that Aboriginal health is not a vote winner for politicians. He says persuading them to allocate more funds means educating the Australian public on the seriousness of the problem."

" The Federal Government has also conceded there is much work to be done to improve the standard of Aboriginal housing. A detailed study by the Bureau of Statistics has found almost one third of all properties are in need of major repair or replacement. The study also shows many indigenous communities have problems with their water and power supplies, and sewerage systems. The Aboriginal Affairs Minister, John Herron, says while the backlog of housing work has been reduced, it is still a serious issue. ""It'll take some time, I suppose, for us to all properly analyse the data but clearly there are enormous implications for governments at all levels in planning services for these communities in need,"" he said. ""The need's indisputable. What we must do now is simply be assured that we're all heading in the right direction."""

" The long-term future of car-maker Mitsubishi's operations in Adelaide may become clearer this afternoon when representatives from the Australian Manufacturing Worker's Union and some employees meet with company officials. The meeting follows news from Mitsubishi's management that Adelaide's operations would be wound back, if the company does not break even by the end of the year. Industrial and political officials say yesterday's comments on the future operations of Mitsubishi's Tonsley Park and Lonsdale plants are nothing new. Speculation has continued since DaimlerChrysler aquired over 33 per cent of Mitsubishi a little over one month ago. A spokesperson for the Premier said Mr Olsen was not willing to comment any further at this stage, except that the comments once again point to the need of restructuring. Union officials say the Mitsubishi president's comments might merely be a warning to hasten the restructure process. ---------------------------"

" It has been swings and roundabouts again on Wall Street. In the latest session, shares in both mainstream and new economy companies in the United States have dropped back to the ground after yesterday's substantial rise. It has been a dramatic reversal for the blue chips, with the Dow Jones industrial average plummeting more than 200 points in the closing minutes of trade. It has now finished 179 points behind at 10,946, which is a decline of 1.6 per cent. Worries about a further rise in US interest rates have outweighed a number of strong profit reports. The rate jitters come ahead of tonight's measure of US economic growth. High-tech stocks have lost around 2.2 per cent in value and the Nasdaq composite index is down 81 points. The US bond market has slipped a touch further. The weaker prices have pushed up the yield on 30-year Treasury paper to 5.95 per cent, which is a rise of 1.5 points. In Britain, a four-session rally has come to an end. Led lower by the pharmaceutical sector, London's FT-100 index has closed 27 points down at 6,257. Yesterday in Asia, investors remained wary on the key sharemarkets in the region. The Hong Kong market lost 1 per cent of its value, while profit-taking was the feature of trade in Japan. Tokyo's Nikkei index ended 138 points down at 18,134. In Australia, however, investors returning from the Easter and ANZAC Day break took heart from the earlier gains in New York. The All Ordinaries index closed 43 points higher at 3,085. In overnight trade on the Sydney Futures exchange just before the 7:00am AEST close, the Share Price Index contract was down 16 points on yesterday's day settlement at 3,092. The 10-year bond contract is down half a point at 93.60, with the implied yield rising to 6.4 per cent. The Australian dollar has been to a near 19-month low this morning. It has been down as far as 58.67 US cents, which is a level not seen since the beginning of October 1998. Just before 7:00am AEST, it was being quoted at around 59.83 US cents. On the cross-rates, it is at 0.6371 euros; 62.53 Japanese yen; 37.34 pence sterling; and $NZ1.209. The gold price is at $US275.65 an ounce and West Texas crude oil is at $US24.68 a barrel. ---------------------------------"

" Despite protests from the United States, Russia has launched another mission to refuel and resupply the Mir Space Station. Moscow is resisting pressure to abandon the ageing and accident prone station. Mir was to be scrapped this year, but foreign funding has extended its life. Two cosmonauts are now there assessing if it can be turned into a space hotel and fixing a crack in its body, through which oxygen is escaping. Russia denies that focus on Mir is the cause for its delay on the new $60 billion international space station, presently being built. But an American newspaper is calling for Moscow to be removed as a contractor, claiming its delay has already cost $3 billion and the part it has built is in poor repair."

" Telstra unions say mass meetings of workers will be held this morning, in response to the company suspending 27 staff. Telstra management stood down the workers after discovering pornography on several computer hard drives in Telstra's Global Operations Centre, at Clayton in Melbourne. Another 35 staff have received official warnings from the company. The Communication Workers Union says the suspensions are an attempt to get rid of staff. --------------------------------"

" The Anglican Archbishop of Perth, Peter Carnley, has sent a clear signal to conservative elements in the church, that he will not allow them to bully its more liberal members. Dr Carnley has hit back at his detractors in Sydney who have questioned his theological interpretations. Critics claim in an article in the Bulletin Magazine written by Archbishop Carnley, that the primate questions the signifance of the resurrection and casts doubt on whether salvation can come only through Christ. But Dr Carnley has dismissed the claims, and says the conservative elements in Sydney, who have been at loggerheads with him before, are posturing before upcoming church elections. The Archbishop supports diversity of opinion in the church and says conservatives must also come to accept theological differences."

" The Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation has conceded it will not be able to convince the Prime Minister to issue a formal apology to indigenous people. The Deputy Chairman of the Reconciliation Council, Sir Gustav Nossal, is not revealling whether the Declaration for Reconciliation will include a reference to a national apology when it is unveiled in Syndey next month. But Sir Gustav has told the National Press Club in Canberra the issue of a formal Government apology will have to be put in the category of unfinished business. ""The Council has therefore regretfully accepted that an official apology on behalf of the Government will not be tendered in the near future,"" Sir Gustav said. ""That being said, it is absolutely vital that the reconciliation journey continues nevertheless. ""We can't afford for this one, what I call respectful,difference of opinion between the Council and the Prime Minister to be a showstopper,"" he said."

" Meanwhile, A One Nation MP says his integrity is not in question, despite a Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission finding that he made a racist statement about Australian ethnic communities. Two years ago the New South Wales politician, David Oldfield, was quoted in a West Australian newspaper as saying ""home invasion is an imported crime - Lebanese or Iranian - not Australian!"". The Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commissioner found that on the balance of probabilities Mr Oldfield made the statment. Mr Oldfield says the Commissioner should have found that the case couldn't be proved: ""So essentially the commissioner might be saying I probably said it. ""But at the same time he's also saying that he believes that I believe I didn't say it...And I'm not aware of having said it. ""So in other words he's sort of saying well I think he probably said it. But,he obviously doesn't think he did...So the commissioner is not in anyway questioning my honesty or integrity in this matter"", he said."

" A study into obesity in schoolchildren has found some Year Three students are so large they need help to get out of their chairs. The University of Wollongong study has found almost 15 per cent of 431 students from the Illawarra region, south of Sydney, are obese. The research is believed to be the first in the world to examine how obesity restricts mobility in pre-pubescent children. Postgraduate research student Diane Harland, who conducted the study, says intervention is needed to prevent young people from carrying their obesity into adulthood. ""Once the children get to eight or nine years, my study showed that almost 15 per cent of them were obese,"" Ms Harland said. ""Before the age of eight or nine there needs to be some form of intervention, either dietry or exercise, prior to that age""."

" Qantas says it has replaced an engine on a Boeing 767 which lost oil on a flight from Cairns to Sydney on Monday. The airline says the pilot of QF-567 reduced power in the affected engine during the flight after noticing a slight loss of oil, but was able to complete the flight safely. Qantas says at no stage was the aircraft or passengers in danger. The flight had earlier been delayed twice on take-off in Cairns by a faulty warning light - a problem a Qantas spokeswoman says was not connected to the oil problem. Meanwhile, Qantas engineers in Rome are still investigating the collapse of a landing strut on a 747 on Saturday. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" NATO's supreme commander, General Wesley Clark, has warned Yugoslav President Slobodan Milosevic to stop intimidating Montenegro. Speaking on a tour in Bosnia, General Clark issued the strongest warning yet to the Yugoslav leader over what it sees as aggressive actions against Montenegro. Montenegro is, apart from Serbia, the last remaining Yugoslav republic and its leader has been pursuing an increasingly independent line over the past few years. Many fear Montenegro could be the next Balkans flashpoint. General Clark said Milosevic had been strengthening the Yugoslav army in the region and deploying forces on the border. The NATO commander said the Yugoslav leader should know that NATO is watching and he should know what NATO's capabilities are. The forces in Kosovo, he said, are very capable, they are very well commanded and are very well prepared to do whatever is necessary. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government believes the flow of illegal immigrants to Australia could be slowing. Immigration Minister, Phillip Ruddock, says action by authorities in the Middle East and Asia to stamp out people-smuggling appears to be having an impact. Indonesian police yesterday arrested 157 Iraqis at a remote fishing village in West Java as they prepared to board a boat for an illegal voyage to Australia. Mr Ruddock says he is aware of other groups from the Middle East on their way to Australia but arrivals seem to be slowing, with none coming to our shores this month. ""I don't think that we will see the trafficking come to an end immediately,"" he said. ""I just think that these have to be seen as positive signs of action by a number of countries to deal with what is a significant international problem. ""It's cooperation that is welcome and we will assist Indonesia as it's dealing with these issues."" ------------------------------"

" A group opposed to online censorship says Commonwealth legislation to restrict potentially offensive material on the Internet is unneccesary because it duplicates pre-exisiting state laws. Thirty-one locally-hosted websites have been issued with take-down notices since the Commonwealth laws came into effect on January 1. Electronic Frontiers Australia spokesperson Kimberley Heitman says a majority of those websites dealt with child pornography. ""It would be quite possible to close down those sites without having this heavy-handed law which effectively chills everything which is unsuitable for children."" The government regulator, the Australian Broadcasting Authority, says the Commonwealth laws were designed to complement existing state laws. --------------------------------"

" Ten people have died on Australian roads during the Easter holiday period, which officially began at 12:00am Thursday. Three people have died in Victoria, three in New South Wales and three in Western Australia. One person died this morning in south-east Queensland. Three children are among those who have died on the roads, and police say they are disappointed with the start to the Easter break. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Independence war veterans in Zimbabwe have led another attack on a white-owned farm just outside the capital, Harare. The raid comes less than a day after the veterans' leadership promised to cease hostilities. A raiding party, numbering more than 100, stormed onto the Pied Piper farm, attacking the homestead. The owner had already fled, so the gang beat his farm dogs to death. The veterans then moved down to the compound, home to farm workers, smashing down doors and setting the buildings alight. The leader of the mob said they had attacked the farm because it was a local headquarters for the opposition Movement for Democratic Change Party. This provides further evidence that supporters of President Robert Mugabe's ruling party are now actively targeting government opponents. The raid comes ahead of a summit to be attended by six African heads of state, who are flying into Zimbabwe to discuss the growing crisis. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A Queensland Senator says new laws allowing the donation of land for conservation to be made tax deductable, should provide better incentive for landholders to curb tree clearing. The new laws allow for gifts of land to a conservation organisation or trust to be tax deductable and for bequests to be deductable through capital gains tax. Senator Andrew Bartlett says it is a major step forward for conservation, especially in states like Queensland. ""[It] undoubtedly will save enormous amounts down the track in terms of fixing up the environment and that sort of cost,"" he said. ""I mean, all the talk at the moment about the need to stop land clearing in Queensland because of the massive damage that is causing and that's a massive economic cost to us all down the track. ""A little bit of incentive at the start of the process can save a hell of a lot,"" Senator Bartlett said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Threatened Species Network says a recent rock wallaby symposium in Alice Springs heard numbers of the black-footed group found in central Australia are declining. The network's Colleen O'Malley says the symposium brought together land managers, scientists, researches and community groups to share information about problems and new strategies Ms O'Malley says rock wallabies were common across Australia but predation by foxes and cats and competition from goats and rabbits have left only remnant populations. She says in-breeding in these isolated desert populations is one of the biggest threats. ""Outside of the main range system some of these problems are really starting to be experienced by rock wallabies,"" she said. ""So in minor ranges at the top of the Simpson desert in the Northern Territory as well as the southern populations that used to occur around Uluru Kata Juta, there's been no records of black-footed rock wallabies there for the last 10 years or so. ""They are declining in some areas,"" Ms O'Malley said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian sharemarket has improved for a second day, since dropping 5 per cent on Monday after a major slump on Wall Street. With US stocks charging again overnight, the All Ordinaries index today rose nearly 56 points, or 1.9 per cent, to 3,042. News Corporation improved on yesterday's rally, while Telstra, the major banks and a number of high-tech stocks saw good gains. Grant Williams of Reynolds Stockbrokers says world markets will be driven by further profit results, out in the US, through the week. ""It looks like there has been some solid results so far to date this week and that really helps to bring the market back up out of the doldrums. ""I think the volatility has been saved a litle by the fact there has been some good results coming through. ""So if they continue with the major companies having beating forecasts then it might help stablisie the markets before Easter,"" Mr Williams said."

" Tropical Cyclone Rosita is intensifying as it heads towards Western Australia's Kimberley coast. The category four cyclone is 130 kilometres west of Broome and moving east southeast at 15 kilometres per hour towards Broome. Tropical Cyclone Rosita is expected to cross the Kimberley coast just south of Broome, in the early hours of tomorrow morning. Kimberley manager of the State Emergency Service Gordon Tiddums says Broome residents have spent most of the day battening down the hatches. He says residents have been warned of a storm surge associated with the normal eight-metre high tide tonight. The Broome region is expected to go on red alert this evening. Rosita is the eighth tropical cyclone to form off the Kimberley coast this year."

" Aid agencies in Kosovo are warning they will be unable to cope with the 250,000 extra refugees expected to arrive in the next few months. Before the war, Pristina was home to just over 300,000 people. There are now twice that number and the infra-structure that has been put in place so far is already stretched to the limit. Aid agencies like World Vision, have warned that they will be simply unable to cope with the expected new influx. Most of the accommodation in Pristina is already seriously overcrowded, with as many as 20 people living in some two-room apartments. Many aid agencies here believe Australia and those other countries now returning refugees should have allowed them to stay at least another six to 12 months. ----------------------------------"

" Sydney's Olympic Organisers (SOCOG) have changed their mind and will now allow some of the world's biggest television networks to film within the main Homebush Bay Games site. The announcement has been made in Lausanne, Switzerland, where SOCOG is meeting the International Olympic Committee's (IOC's) board. Sydney's Games Committee wanted to have television access to the site limited to Australian networks and America's NBC which paid $1 billion to cover the Olympics. Under a compromise approved by the IOC, Olympic officials will issue eight permits per day for international stations that are non-rights holders. That means CNN, Fox, Reuters Television and others can film outside of venues but will not be allowed to interview athletes or stage live broadcasts. Concerns over crowd control and protection of NBC's large investment in the Games are the reasons for the restrictions. Olympics Minister Michael Knight says it is a fair compromise, but acknowledges ""when you make a compromise you usually don't make everybody happy"". ---------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition leader Kim Beazley says he expects former ALP backbencher Andrew Theophanous to vote with Labor as a cross bench member. Dr Theophanous has resigned from the Labor Party, angry over its immigration policies and the Victorian branch's refusal to delay preselection in his seat of Calwell. He had asked for the delay to avoid having to contest preselection while he faced court proceedings on immigration charges. Mr Beazley says he hopes Dr Theophanous will continue to support the Opposition as an independent. ""Generally speaking I would be of the view that if you resign, as opposed to being expelled, you resign a party endorsement that you sought, had successfully contested an election with, that you would exit from the Parliament,"" he said. ""But if you choose not to then what I would say that you have an obligation to keep voting with the party on whose ticket you were originally elected."""

" A second white Zimbabwean farmer has been shot by veterans of the country's liberation war as the crisis-struck nation prepared to celebrate 20 years of independence and black rule. Farmer Robin Greeves told Reuters he had received two calls from his neighbour Martin Olbs, the first saying his farm house had been surrounded by 30 to 40 veterans and it ""looked pretty serious"". ""He (Olbs) phoned later to say he had been shot and could we call an ambulance,"" Greeves said. There was no further word on his condition. Greeves' and Olbs' farms are in Nyamandhlovu, about 500 kilometres south of the capital Harare. A white farmer and two members of Zimbabwe's fledgling Movement for Democratic Change were killed at the weekend amid a growing political crisis which has seen hundreds of white-owned farms invaded by war veterans and other pro-government supporters."

" Western Australia's Department of Minerals and Energy has confirmed the discovery of the largest asteroid crater in Australia, which is also the fourth largest in the world. Minerals and Energy scientists say the crater, measuring 120 kilometres in diameter, has been discovered in red sand country, east of Shark Bay, about 800 kilometres north of Perth. A drilling program on Woodleigh Station uncovered conclusive evidence of the asteroid's impact, which is believed to have ocurred more than 200-million years ago. Further work is said to be necessary to more accurately date the time of impact. Only the Vredfort crater in South Africa, the Sudbury carter in Canada, and the Chicxulub crater in the Gulf of Mexico are bigger."

" Bargain hunters cleared the way for stocks to rise in the United States overnight, but analysts warn markets are still unsteady. Both blue chips and high-tech stocks have picked up following Friday's freefall on Wall Street. The Nasdaq index of high-tech stocks jumped 218 points, or 6 per cent, to close at at 3,539, which is 29 per cent below its mid-March high. It is now sitting in what Wall Street defines as bear territory. The Dow Jones Industrial Average jumped 276 points or 2.5 per cent to 10,582. The trading session was marked by some volatile swings between positive and negative territory, an indication investors were still trying to work out which way the market was headed in the near future. Many analysts believe selling on Wall Street has not finished. Meanwhile, Australian shares are also poised for recovery, but the local dollar is now languishing after being hammered overnight. With a partial rebound being registered by stock prices in New York, institutional investors have positioned themselves for a similar outcome locally. Yesterday, $36 billion was stripped off the value of local stocks. But overnight the Share Price Index futures contract rallied 83-points, which is a jump of 2.8 per cent. No such bounce for the Australian dollar, which sank to its lowest level since October 1998 overnight, hitting 58.94 US cents. At 7:00am AEST it was being quoted at 59.12 US cents, still down 1.2 cents on the night and leaving some dealers scratching their heads in puzzlement. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Fiji is worried that its economic progress means Australia will start reducing foreign aid. Fiji's Prime Minister Mahendra Chaudhry is to discuss future aid levels at a meeting in Canberra this afternoon with the Prime Minister, John Howard. Mr Chaudhry will push for an extension to Australia's export credit scheme which, he says, is vital to Fiji's clothing and textiles industry. Fiji's Prime Minister will ask Mr Howard to keep the concession going beyond June, when it expires. More broadly, he will ask that Australia not start cutting its foreign aid to Fiji, worth $21 million a year. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Mark Philippoussis has bowed out in the first round of the $4.5 million Monte Carlo Open, beaten by Wayne Ferreira, of South Africa. Ferreira beat the 14th seed in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5. In other results, France's Cedric Pioline is through to the second round, beating Magnus Larsson of Sweden 6-2, 6-2; Frenchman Nicolas Escude beat fellow countryman Stephane Huet and Britain's Greg Rusedski went down to Slava Dosedel of the Czech Republic."

" A new report has highlighted the vast contrast in life expectancy between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians. More than half of Aboriginal men die before the age of 50. The findings come from an Australian Bureau of Statistics report on deaths between 1995 and 1997. It found 53 per cent of indigenous men and 41 per cent of women die before the age of 50, compared to 13 and 7 per cent for non-indigenous people. The higher death rate is most pronounced between the ages of 35 and 54, when indigenous people are seven times more likely to die than non-indigenous people. The most common causes of death for Aborigines and Torres Strait Islanders are circulatory disease, injury, respiratory disease, cancer and diabetes."

" The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced it will hold an emergency meeting at Lord's on May 2 and 3 to discuss the match-fixing crisis. In a statement, ICC president Jagmohan Dalmiya said the council was extremely concerned at the damage to the image of the game. South Africa captain Hansie Cronje and team-mates Herschelle Gibbs, Pieter Strydom and Nicky Boje have been charged by Indian police with match-fixing during a one-day series between India and South Africa in March. They have denied the accusations. Meanwhile, in Johannesburg, officials say South Africa's judicial inquiry into the Hansie Cronje scandal could be heard in public. The inquiry is set to be launched later tonight with the naming of the judge and the terms of reference."

" The Australian Stock Exchange is expected to open weaker this morning in reaction to large fall-outs in share prices on the Dow Jones and NASDAQ on Friday. Local economists say more than a couple of percentage points could be knocked off the Australian All Ordinaries index when the market opens. While losses are expected to be felt across the board, it is the technology stocks which are likely to be hardest hit. Rothschild's international portfolio manager Nicky Hutley says some technology stocks may not recover from the latest correction. ""People were prepared to buy them irrespective of what the company profile and earnings outlook was,"" he said. There are mixed thoughts as to whether the fall will provide bargains for punters today. The Commonwealth Bank's chief economist Bruce Freeland says he expects the market to be volatile for some time. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Protesters in Washington have regrouped, just as police thought a day of occasionally violent action aimed at a conference of world economic leaders was coming to an end. Protesters are again converging on the headquarters of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in Washington hoping to confront officials leaving today's meeting. The demonstrators have been out in force all day but failed to halt the spring meetings of the international financial institutions. Seven hundred people have been arrested in the past 24 hours in protest at the policies of the World Bank and the IMF. Protesters say the institutions impose unfair conditions on developing countries, increasing poverty and damaging the environment. A line of demonstrators is now standing in front of police on horse back near the world Bank and IMF building. Earlier in the day, a few blocks away, police used pepper spray and batons to turn back protesters. The crowds vow to return tomorrow and say they will be successful in shutting down the meeting as they were in Seattle last November with the World Trade Organisation. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Mark Boucher and Lance Klusener made half centuries in an unbroken stand of 87 to carry South Africa to a four-wicket victory over Australia in Johannesburg. The South Africans won the three-match series one day series between the two countries 2-1. Klusener, who joined Boucher when South Africa had slumped to 6-122 in pursuit of 206 for victory, smashed nine fours as he raced to his half century off just 49 balls, finishing unbeaten on 52 as South Africa won with 13 balls to spare. Earlier, Australia had done well to get to 205, Pollock taking two wickets in his final over to finish with four for 37."

" The federal director of the Liberal Party, Lynton Crosby, has warned party members the next election will be tough for the Howard Government to win. Mr Crosby told the party's national convention in Melbourne that the ALP would spend big to win the election, making it the most expensive poll in Australia's history. He said the Liberal Party must highlight the policy differences between the Government and a Labor Party he claims is lacking in energy and ideas. Mr Crosby attacked Labor leader Kim Beazley, accusing him of lacking the ability to effectively run Australia."

" Japan has appointed its first Deputy Prime Minister, a move seen as bringing greater stability to the government in Tokyo. Until now, Japan has never seen the need to appoint a full-time deputy prime minister. The thinking was that if the Prime Minister was going away or was ill he could appoint someone to deputise for him for that specific period just before leaving. However, this month's sudden collapse of the Prime Minister into a coma pointed to a weakness in that theory. The new Prime Minister has appointed not one, but three deputy prime ministers. The chief cabinet secretary is deputy number one. He will normally act when the Prime Minister is away. Should he be away as well, the Construction Minister is deputy number two, with the third in line being Japan's Minister for International Trade and Industry. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Victorian National Party has been warned its viability as a political force rests on its ability to attract support in provincial cities and towns. Ardele Shansullah, a lecturer in politics at LaTrobe University, told the party's annual conference that it has genuine obstacles to overcome if it is to win votes in the bush. He says the party must change its attitude to workers who are union members, re-evaluate its relationship with the Liberal Party and address its social conservatism. Nationals' leader Peter Ryan agrees the party needs to attract more support in country cities and towns. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A Melbourne-based Internet and communications company is considering legal action over forged documents used by visiting Chinese officials. Six officials who arrived in far north Queensland this week have told Australian Federal Police the forged letter on a medialaunch.com letterhead, came from a Melbourne tour operator. The company's managing director, Ron Smith, has called on the Department of Immigration to act. ""Our major concern here is for the Department of Immigration and Customs, for the minister to come out with a policy saying that the department will not accept photostat copies of letters as verification of anything, because with the Internet today it's far too easy for people to be able to take details and then just cobble together...a false letter and then use it,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister says if Labor leader Kim Beazley became Prime Minister he would quickly find a reason to support the full sale of Telstra. Mr Howard has accused Mr Beazley of hypocrisy, because as a former finance minister he supported privatisation of the Commonwealth Bank. Mr Howard's latest swipe at Mr Beazley came in a breakfast speech at the Liberal Party's national convention in Melbourne. ""The other great irony of the debate is that everybody knows that if Mr Beazley were to become Prime Minister of Australia he would quickly find a reason to change his current opposition to the full sale of Telstra, and I think everybody knows that,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Liberal Party's Federal Director Lynton Crosby predicts a very tough fight for the Coalition to win the next Federal election. Mr Crosby says the Coalition needs to lose only six seats - or one in each state - to lose power to Labor. He also predicts the election will not necessarily be won or lost on the goods and services tax (GST), but on issues that are yet to be decided. The Liberal Party's national convention is on in Melbourne this weekend to discuss campaign tactics and a range of social issues. Mr Crosby predicts other factors will also play a part in the poll. ""At the last election, a million people voted for One Nation as it then was and had moved away from the major parties. ""Those people are yet to firm views about where they are going to you know vote, and we have gone through a period of significant change with the implementation of the tax reform system, so obviously it will be a tight, hard fought election,"" Mr Crosby said."

" Protesters against mandatory sentencing and uranium mining have tried to steal the limelight at the Liberal Party's Convention in Melbourne. They have distracted attention from other social issues on the agenda. About 60 demonstrators outside the Melbourne Convention Centre tried to storm proceedings where hundreds of Liberal party leaders and MPs including the Prime Minister are meeting for three days. But a strong police presence kept the protest under control. Inside Mr Howard opened the convention with a speech affirming his government's commitment to equal rights for women. The Liberals' Federal president Shane Stone turned to internal party matters, warning that factional brawling could undermine the party's campaign in the leadup to the next election. ""Our focus remains on winning government because quite clearly there is no second prize,"" Mr Stone said. Delegates will discuss a series of social policy issues, including the principle of mutual obligation and the fight against drugs."

" A Kosovar refugee, Dritton Dula, who has been back in his home town near the Albanian border for three days, is regretting agreeing to return. He says the conditions in Kosovo are terrible and chaotic. ""[My] family was happy when they saw me but what I saw here ... it is just terrible... I have made the biggest mistake of my life.. I should not have come back here,"" Mr Dula said."

" Police have arrested a leading Malaysian Opposition Party member on the eve of a planned mass demonstration in Kuala Lumpur in support of jailed former Deputy Prime Minister, Anwar Ibrahim. Six other party members have been ordered to report to police or face arrest. The Government and police have declared the planned protest illegal. In the past week, threats of tough action have been made to organisers of the protest and anyone who attends the rally. Ruslan Kassim, Information Chief of the National Justice Party headed by the wife of the jailed former Deputy Prime Minister, was arrested at his home in the early hours of this morning. Party Vice President, Tian Chua, has been named as one of the six to report to police. He says the police will have to come and get him. ""This is a very important step to assert our rights to public assembly,"" Mr Chua said. Organisers say despite the threat of further arrests they plan to go ahead with the demonstration."

" The Federal Government is trying to convince the remaining Kosovo Albanians at Bandiana to return home by offering them more assistance to come back to Australia afterwards. The 146 remaining former refugees will receive increased access to a humanitarian resettlement program where they can apply to resettle in Australia as refugees. But the applications to return can only be made from Kosovo. A spokesman for the refugees says those who have agreed in principle to return have done so to avoid going to Australian detention centres. The Immigration Department says it is planning to move the group from Bandiana barracks tomorrow or Sunday. The multicultural resource centre is organising a candlelight vigil at Bandiana this evening in support of the Kosovar Albanians. --------------------------------"

" Members of the Northern Territory's Stolen Generations say they will give a personal account to Prime Minister John Howard about being separated from their families, at a meeting with him next week. The Territory's Stolen Generations Aboriginal Corporation has been in Canberra for the past two weeks lobbying federal politicians. Yesterday, members of the group turned their backs on the Prime Minister in Federal Parliament, to protest against his refusal to meet the group. But last night they were told the Prime Minister had agreed to meet them on Monday. Spokesman Maurie Ryan Japarte, who was taken from his family at the Wave Hill cattle station in the Territory, says he is pleased he will be able to talk to Mr Howard. ""There will be a lot of things, [but] we'll mainly talk about the Stolen Generations and how we can solve the problems working together,"" he said. ---------------------------------"

" Racehorse trainer Gai Waterhouse says she has a big chance to grab first and second place in tomorrow's $2.5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill. The Waterhouse-trained Assertive Lad is favourite for the event, while Phoenix Park has hardly received any interest and is rated a 14-to-one chance. But Waterhouse says both horses have a big chance of winning. ""I couldn't be more happy with either horse going in to the race, and that's all as a trainer you can ask for - [that] your team are fit and ready and my team are fit and ready, and I'm raring to go for Saturday,"" she said. ---------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition claims a billion dollar hole will be punched in the Government's budgets over the next three years through the relaxation of a proposed tax crackdown on contractors. The Government will not proceed with plans to tax some contractors at high personal income tax rates. The original proposal recommended by the Ralph review of business taxation was targetted at contractors who do more than 80 per cent of their work for one organisation and are effectively employees. They were to be switched into the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) tax system, but subject to eligibility, the Government will allow them to continue being taxed as companies. The Treasurer Peter Costello says it is a transitional arrangement which will not affect the budget over the longer term. ""We have recognised the rights of independent contractors and we will go on recognising them,"" Mr Costello said. The Shadow Treasurer Simon Crean says the Government has abandoned a major tax avoidance loophole and contradicted its promise last year to implement business tax changes in full. ""Some ticker this wimp of a Treasurer has got. ""He is a sellout and he has been a serial offender when it comes to tax avoidance mechanisms,"" Mr Crean said."

" The Sydney Olympic Games Committee (SOCOG) has given in to pressure from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and revised its ticket sale program to allow money orders and cheques to be payment methods. One proposal favoured by SOCOG had Visa credit cards as the exclusive payment option. SOCOG's deputy Chief Exeuctive Michael Eyers says the change will benefit consumers. ""Yes we have always wanted to have the widest possible and most consumer friendly structures that we could and what we are announcing, foreshadowing today will meet those requirements"". The next round of sales will begin in early May when order forms will be available in News Limited Newspapers. Extra tickets to previously sold out events will be offered via the call centres, over the Internet and at box offices in June."

" Chinese police have used force to break up a demonstration in the heart of Beijing by practitioners of a banned spiritual movement. The Falun Gong protest was to mark a key anniversary in the group's turbulent history. Eye witnesses say police punched and kicked 60 members of the banned group after they had unfurled several Falun Gong banners in the centre of Tiananmen Square. In all, more than 200 were arrested. Security across Beijing has been tightened in recent days because the authorities expect more protests. This time last year, thousands of Falun Gong members surrounded the communist party headquarters in Beijing to demand recognition. Instead, the group's activities were outlawed and hundreds of former members are currently in jail or detention camps. The government says it has wiped out the so-called evil cult, and any protests are only sporadic and small."

" The head of the UN's mission in Kosovo has urged Australia not to force Albanian refugees to return home against their will. Bernard Kouchner says forced repatriation is not considered normal international procedure. Mr Kouchner says he is grateful to all the countries that have taken in refugees, but he says he wants them to be patient and humane when it comes to organising their return. The head of the UN's mission in Kosovo says Australia's plan to forcibly repatriate Albanian refugees is not normal procedure, but he says the UN has no legal means to prevent it. His criticism was not directed only at Australia. Concern is growing generally in Kosovo about a wave of recent forced repatriations, mostly from Germany. The UN fears a large influx of refugees could put severe strains on the territory's infrastructure and housing stock. Mr Kouchner says all countries who took in refugees should now calm down and slow down the process of sending them back. --------------------------------"

" The board of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) is expected to make major changes to its plan for the next round of ticket sales when it meets this morning. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) deemed elements of the plan discriminatory. ACCC chairman Alan Fels says the plan that made VISA Card the only method of paying for the next round of tickets available by telephone or the Internet was the concern. He believes SOCOG can solve the problem easily by allowing cheques and money orders to be used as well. Olympic insiders say it is not that simple and say the ACCC had approved the plan before voicing concerns yesterday. A senior manager with the committee says there are major operational difficulties, including considerable delays in allowing forms of payment other than VISA. SOCOG is still intending to detail its plan for the sale of the remaining 2.3 million tickets at a briefing this afternoon. -------------------------------"

" They taste like snapper and smell like snapper, but unfortunately the fish produced at a commericial fish farm off Port Stephens in New South Wales do not look like snapper. The farm was established last year and the first batch, being sold this week, is not the usual pink colour. General manager Dan Liska says although chefs who have tested the fish say it tastes just as good, it seems the fish are getting sunburnt in the farm, and their skin has turned brown. ""They have a very dark colour with a slight tinge of pink, so they're not a light pink colour like most of the wild snapper,"" he said. ""This is due mainly to the fact that our growing environment is close to the surface of the sea not down deep where snapper normally occur. ""Given the fact that they taste great, we've decided to start going to the marketplace even though they're not quite red yet."""

" The South African cricket team is preparing to take the field for its first appearance since the sacking of skipper Hansie Cronje. South Africans are facing Australia is the first of three one day matches. Stand-in captain Sean Pollack has been left to pick up the pieces in the wake of the Cronje sacking. He has appealed to all South Africans to support the team despite the disgraced exit of the former skipper, who has admitted taking money on behalf of a bookmaker. Pollack says the team is trying to refocus on tonight's game against the Australians, but admits team members have been shattered by Cronje's confession. The newly installed skipper says he faces an uphill job to have his team in top form when the match begins."

" Australia's Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock says up to 220 people may have drowned trying to enter Australia illegally from Indonesia. Mr Ruddock says a boat involved in people-smuggling has disappeared on the way from Java to the Australian territory of Christmas Island. He says boat people from the Middle East already in detention in Australia knew of the disappearance of the vessel. Mr Ruddock says the insidious and dangerous trade of people smuggling may have caused a tragic loss of life. ""Suggestions are that a boat with something of the order of 170 to 220 people may have foundered en route to Australia,"" he said. ""Amongst many of the people in the detention centres there have been calls made to overseas destinations to assure family members they had in fact arrived safely given the reports that so many people had lost their lives in this incident."" Australian officials say the people-smuggling boat was reported to have sailed from Java late last month but had been hit by rough weather."

" Telstra has unveiled plans for its first major move into the lucrative Asian telecommunications market. The company is to invest a total of $US3 billion into a joint venture partnership with Hong Kong's Pacific Century Cyberworks. Half of this would be in cash and assets, with the rest in Pacific Century convertible notes. The deal also includes a new mobile phone company, and arrangements over content use. Pacific Century Cyberworks is run by the son of Hong Kong's richest man, Li Ka-Shing. Shares in Telstra were suspended ahead of the announcement at $7.64."

" Federal Parliament has been told a person received better care as a prisoner-of-war in Changi prison than at a Queensland nursing home. The Alchera home in Gladstone has already been investigated for the deaths of at least three elderly residents. The daughter of one of those residents has told the Opposition her father received better treatment when he was a prisoner-of-war. Labor says complaints made about the home last November still have not been dealt with. The Minister representing the Aged Care Minister in the Senate, John Herron, says a spot check was undertaken at the home last month. ""The agency has found that while there is room for improvement by the nursing home, residents are not at serious risk. ""They are continuing to supervise improvements being implemented by the home. ""Her department and the agency will continue to closely monitor the progress of this facility,"" Senator Herron said."

" Disgraced former South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje is continuing to insist he was not involved in match fixing, despite an admission that he accepted money from a bookmaker. Cronje has been sacked as South African captain and cricket officials say it is unlikely his contract will be renewed. United Cricket Board managing director Ali Bacher says Cronje accepted between $US10,000 and $US15,000 from an Indian bookmaker in London. The money was in exchange for providing information and forecasts during a three way series between South Africa, England and Zimbabwe earlier this year. His contract has been suspended and the South African Government has announced a judicial inquiry into the matter. However, Cronje continues to insist that even though he spoke to bookmakers by phone on the side's recent tour of India, he has never been involved in match fixing. Having not banked the money he accepted, he also maintains he has received no financial benefit from his actions. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The national video chain under fire for allegedly charging the goods and services tax (GST) too early says it wants to meet with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC). The chairman of the ACCC, Alan Fels, says Video Ezy customers claim staff have attributed a recent $1 overnight rental price rise to the GST. But Video Ezy spokesman Mark Patterson says the company wants the chance to refute Professor Fels' allegations. ""We've been wanting for some time to make our case and to explain ourselves,"" he said. ""His investigators have been interviewing our staff for quite some time now. ""It's clear to us that they had at issue something that we had done. ""We're happy to talk to him about it and he's suggesting that we refund our customers or give some free videos away or something of the sort - we'd like the opportunity to talk to him about that."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A radical Indonesian Muslim group is planning to send 3,000 militia to the strife torn island of Ambon. Militia have been training in a camp in West Java and say they are now prepared to wage a holy war against Christians. The young Muslim radicals are ready for action, armed with swords and claiming to have God on their side, they expect to complete training in the next few days. They plan to leave for Ambon, capital of the Malucu province, soon after. Sectarian violence in the province has claimed more than 3,000 lives in the last year. The radical group, Allah-Suna-WhalJama, claims the Indonesian Government and the military have failed to stop the fighting and it is now time for its members to step in. Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid, a moderate Muslim, has called for the group to back down, but its leaders say they will not, promising to defy any attempts to stop them. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock has moved to reassure Kosovo refugees worried about being returned to the Serb controlled area of Presevo. Mr Ruddock says no one will be forced to go to the area against their will. ""I can guarantee they will not be returned to Presevo. ""I am not returning people to Presevo but that does not mean people will not go to Presevo. ""Albanians live in that region in fact I understand they are a majority in that region,"" Mr Ruddock said."

" A group of Wodonga people is gathered outside their local MPs office, to protest against the government's decision to deport the Kosovo Albanian refugees. Rutherglen resident, Jill Briggs, says the group plans to rally there overnight. ""Many of us have come to know some of them personally and so we know that their stories are much more complex than the forms that they were asked to fill in allowed them to reveal,"" Ms Briggs said."

" Papua New Guinea landowners have launched new legal action against BHP, claiming the company has failed to meet the environmental obligations contained in a settlement reached four years ago. The writ lodged in the Victorian Supreme Court seeks to enforce the terms of a 1996 settlement, which not only involved $150 million in compensation but a commitment to put an end to tailings from the mine polluting the Ok Tedi and Fly river systems. Lawyers representing the Papua New Guinea landowners affected by the environmental disaster say BHP has failed to honor its agreement, and claim the company is still dumping up to 90,000 tonnes of waste in the river each day. Lawyers say while the case at this stage is an environemental one, it could develop into a situation where the landowners will be demanding more monetary compensation."

" BHP says it will defend the court action. Mandy Frostick, from BHP, says the company has met a requirement to investigate the management of tailings at the mine. ""We believe we have complied with the terms of the 1996 out-of- court settlement agreement relating to mitigation of environmental damage at Ok Tedi copper mine so we will be defending the action,"" Ms Frostick said. Protesters Protesters have dumped dirt and dead fish on the steps of BHP in central Melbourne to protest against the company's mining operation in Papua New Guinea's western province. Environmental groups, including Friends of the Earth, and PNG landowners, claim waste from the Ok Tedi copper mine has destroyed much of the Ok Tedi-Fly River system. Protestor Simon Divecha says they want the company to compensate landowners who have lost their livelhood as a result of the degradation. ""The mine is a social and environmental disaster. ""The damage will last probably for the next 100 years,"" he said. ""BHP needs to commit to these people, commit to the environment and help right the damage that it has created,"" Mr Divecha said. Exaggerated claims BHP says it wants to pull out of the operation, but this may take years. Manager of Media Relations Mandy Frostick says the company is taking its environmental responsibilities seriously. ""A lot of the claims that they have made are exaggerated. ""There is quite clearly environmental impacts with the Ok Tedi river. BHP and OTML [Ok Tedi Mining Limited] have acknowledged that over many months, many years in fact,"" she said."

" Up to 182 Kosovar Albanians, now illegal immigrants, will be sent to remote detention centres if they do not return home voluntarily. Most are expected to be deported within two weeks. Immigration authorities have begun plans to remove Kosovar Albanians who have lost their legal fight to stay in Australia. Most are at Bandiana in north-eastern Victoria, but if they do not agree to leave within days they will be flown to higher security detention centres at Woomera in South Australia or Port Hedland in Western Australia. They have already lost their daily living allowances and free phone access. Authorities expect those who are prepared to cooperate could be on a plane by Thursday and even those who refuse will be forced home within two weeks. Eric Lloga from Australia's Albanian community has begged the government for clemency. ""The events these past few days have been really quite wrenching and it's because of them that I ask that they consider, it's a personal plea on behalf of fellow human beings,"" he said. ""I would like to in fact place a personal plea on the Minister and the government to I guess make an act of clemency and allow these Kosovars to put their case under the normal refugee or asylum seeker processes, so their cases can be tested. ""That is all that I would like to ask."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Zimbabwe's government has again ruled out the use of police to evict black squatters from hundreds of white owned farms. The High Court has been asked to overturn an earlier ruling that police had to act against the squatters. Zimbabwe's white farmers have already won one court ruling ordering police to evict squatters from their farms, which has been ignored by the government. Their lawyers returned to the High Court today to seek another similar order. Opposing the application, Zimbabwe's Attorney-General Patrick Chinamasa told the court that the use of force to evict squatters would ignite a bloody conflagration, describing the political atmosphere in Zimbabwe as a powderkeg. Counsel for the farmers told the court that white Zimbabweans are entitled to the same protection of the law as all other citizens. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Collingwood is considering an appeal against a two game suspension handed down to key forward Anthony Rocca at the AFL Tribunal last night. Rocca was charged with striking Bulldog Craig Ellis at Docklands Stadium on Friday night. He pleaded not guilty, arguing the lights at the new stadium blinded him while he was trying to knock the ball on. Ellis backed him up saying the contact was minor and within the rules of the game. But the tribunal sided with the umpires case, concluding the contact to the head was reckless. The Magpies tried to reduce the penalty to one week but that was overturned. Bulldog Steve Kretiuk is free to play this weekend after being cleared of striking Chris Tarrant of the Magpies. The case against Kangaroo Winston Abraham did not get to the tribunal after umpire Mark Nash withdrew his manhandling the umpire charge. It will be another busy night at the AFL Tribunal tonight, with eight players to answer charges. Carlton midfielder Fraser Brown will appear first on three separate charges of striking and wrestling. Of the remaining seven players to face the tribunal, six are charged with wrestling."

" The Immigration Minister Philip Ruddock is hoping to avoid the use of force to deport 182 Kosovo Albanians now in Australia illegally. One hundred and eighty-two Kosovo Albanians have been ordered to leave. Most are in detention at Bandiana near Albury, four are in detention in Tasmania, and about 14 are unaccounted for. Mr Ruddock says he is hoping all 182 abide by a court decision supporting their removal from Australia, and leave voluntarily. ""I would rather people leave if we put in place arrangements for a further flight, without any difficulty but if it is necessary for people to be removed otherwise, that will occur,"" Mr Ruddock said. One hundred and twenty-one Kosovo Albanians have been granted the opportunity to lodge formal claims for refugee status, two are applying for spouse visas, and 147 have had their visas extended on medical grounds."

" Commonwealth Games marathon gold medallist Heather Turland has announced she will not be competing at this year's Olympics. An emotional Turland says she has been battling a virus and knew during an 18 kilometre fitness trial last week she was too far behind schedule to make the Olympic team. ""I knew at the end of that 18 kilometres I was struggling and I was hurting, and that there was no way that I could have continued at that pace for 42 kilometres,"" she said. ""Towards the end of it I was actually in tears trying to run and breathe at the same time which is very difficult because I knew that I had to make a decision to pull out."""

" About 170 Kosovars who have defied government orders to leave Australia have officialy lost their visas and are now classified as illegal immigrants. The temporary safe haven visas for the refugees at Bandiana, near Wodonga in northern Victoria, expired at midnight eastern time, and the Federal Government has refused to extend their visas. More than 100 refugees have held a candlelight vigil outside the Bandiana safe haven. Some claim they will be persecuted if they are forced to return home. The safe haven has become a temporary detention centre until alternative accomodation can be found. A spokesman for the immigration department, Phil Mayne, says the refugees have now ended a hunger strike, but have given no assurances they will co-operate with the restrictions now in place. He says they have now lost their privileges and have started incurring a financial debt to the Commonwealth. In Kosovo, international KFOR troops have clashed with around 100 Serbs in the divided town on Mitrovica in an incident sparked by ethnic tensions. KFOR officers say the violence occurred after Serbs chased three ethnic Albanian employees of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) who had earlier entered the Serb-dominated north of the town. Three soldiers in the NATO-led peacekeeping force suffered minor injuries when the Serbs peppered them with stones. The peacekeepers responded with teargas grenades and the crowd dispersed after about half an hour. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" South African cricket captain Hansie Cronje has again protested his innocence over match fixing allegations levelled by Indian police. The South African skipper has faced the media, insisting he has done nothing wrong. Cronje says he is willing to turn over his banking records to investigators to help clear his name of the match fixing allegations which have rocked the cricketing world. He has also denied ever having spoken to other players about rigging the outcome of the team's recent one day series against India. At the centre of the controversy are tape recordings of telephone conversations which Indian police say directly implicate Cronje with one of the ring leaders of the match fixing scam. The South African Government is demanding access to the tapes which Indian authorities say will be turned over to Interpol for voice analysis."

" Up to 100 Kosovo refugees have begun a hunger strike at the Bandiana safe haven near Wodonga on the Victoria-New South Wales border after refusing to board a bus for Sydney and a flight home. Twenty-one people from five families agreed to leave the centre earlier this morning. Those involved in the hunger strike say young children will be fed but the rest have voted to refuse all food and drink. They are appealing to the Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, to allow them to stay in Australia until it is safe for them to return to Kosovo. The time has passed for the 100 remaining residents of Bandiana to board buses for and meet the flight home. However, the Immigration Department is now saying it will attempt to arrange a flight to Sydney for any who change their minds. The department cancelled a second bus when no more people came forward. The department's Phil Main says the residents are aware of the implications of their decision to stay. ""We held a residents' meeting last night clearly outlining the consequences of their actions if they didn't get on the buses,"" he said. ""As at midnight tonight the Kosovars remaining in Australia become unlawful and we have no option but to take them into immigration detention."" The only Kosovar Albanian in Tasmania to agree to return to his homeland is reportedly reconsidering his decision. Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock has apologised for the changes to plans. ""But with only a small number agreeing to leave, the Immigration Department says the remaining refugees are aware that they'll become illegal immigrants at midnight tonight,"" Mr Ruddock said. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" There have been clashes between demonstrators and police in central Bolivia after the government declared a state of emergency to quash a wave of protests in the city of Cochabamba. The BBC's Jeremy McDermott reports President Hugo Banzer of Bolivia has imposed a state of emergency to protect law and order as protests across the country, the most violent against the hike in water rates, have led to violent confrontation. Cochabamba, the third largest city in this Andean nation of eight million, was the focus of the riots against water work projects that will raise the price of water by up to 35 per cent in one of the poorest countries in South America. Thousands of protesters clashed with riot police hurling rocks and petrol bombs at the security forces, who replied with tear gas and rubber bullets. So far two people have been killed in separate incidents and an unspecified number injured. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Indonesian military claims that United Nations helicopters have illegally crossed the border into West Timor. The chief of the Indonesian Air Force is warning that foreign aircraft will be shot down. Air Marshall Hanaffi Asnan says there is not time to merely protest. The Airforce Commander claims that UN forces have strayed into West Timor on 16 separate occasions. The Indonesian military has now released details of the latest incident, it will not say when the violation occurred but claims that United Nations helicopters were detected on the wrong side of the border near Atambua. Military officials say the helicopters travelled at least one kilometre into Indonesian air space. Indonesia's official government newsagency, Antara, says two UN military liaison officers observed the intrusion. It says the United Nations officers have delivered a formal report to their headquarters in the town of Maliana. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Three smokers in the United States have been awarded record compensation totalling almost $22 million. A jury in Florida found that tobacco firms were responsible for causing cancer and other illnesses in the smokers, one of whom has died since the legal action began. The BBC's Rob Watson reports the jury awarded the damages as compensation for the pain and suffering of the smokers and to cover their medical expenses and lost earnings. The awards follow the jury's verdict six months ago, finding the tobacco companies had fraudulently conspired to produce a dangerous and addictive product. But there may well be much worse ahead for the tobacco industry. In the next few weeks, the jury will consider whether similar damages should be awarded to half a million other Florida smokers, which could cost the tobacco companies some $300 billion and the prospect of bankruptcy. But courts around the country have made similar awards before and as yet the tobacco industry has not paid out a cent to individual smokers appealing and winning previous cases. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Police have begun the mass DNA screening of men from Wee Waa in north-western New South Wales. The first tests are taking place at the local police station as part of investigations into the bashing and sexual assault of a 93-year-old local woman. Local MP, Ian Slack Smith, said earlier this week he be the first to submit to the DNA tests and has brought a contingent of local men to kick it off. Thirty police from as far away as Sydney are going door-to-door to ask the town's 600 men to be voluntarily swabbed. The volunteers will be photographed and thumb printed as part of the exercise. Once the man has been eliminated as a suspect, he will be notified his sample has been destroyed. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government has given an undertaking to the High Court that up to 81 Kosovar Albanians will not be forced to leave Australia tomorrow. The High Court is still hearing an application by lawyers for the Kosovar Albanians for an interim injunction to halt their departure. The Kosovar Albanians claim the Minister for Immigration, Philip Ruddock, has not taken into consideration a United Nations report recommending against the repatriation of those who meet certain criteria. The Commonwealth has given an undertaking that 81 of the 259 safe haven refugees will not be forced to leave tomorrow. The court has also been told that a handful of the 81 people have had their safe haven visas extended today on medical grounds. But Chief Justice of the High Court, Murray Gleeson, has said he will need the weekend to consider his decision, which is expected on Monday morning. ___________________________________________________________________"

" Australia's biggest bank has raised its variable home loan rates. The National Australia Bank has now decided how it will pass on this week's 0.25 per cent increase in official rates. The National Australia Bank's pricing committee has met this morning, following Wednesday's adjustment by the Reserve Bank to the cash rate. The National has decided to raise its standard variable home loan rate by 0.25 per cent to 7.55 per cent. However, it is also announced a drop in rates for a number of its fixed rate home loans. The National is the second of the major banks to detail its new rate structure, following an early move on Wednesday by the ANZ. St George Bank announced its changes yesterday. ___________________________________________________________________"

" The Australian Olympic Committee has criticised swimsuit maker, Speedo, for not releasing all necessary technical information about the company's full-length bodysuits. The legality of the suits during the Olympic trials next month and the Games themselves, has been questioned by committee president John Coates. A decision by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on the issue has been delayed because the technical information has not been forthcoming. ___________________________________________________________________"

" The Prime Minister has issued an apology to anyone offended by the Government's submission to a Senate inquiry which asserted there was no generation of stolen Aboriginal children. John Howard says some reaction to the document, including by those who were removed from their families, has been understandable while other reaction has been despicable. He says the Government submission was not designed with ""malign intent"". ""Let me say very directly to anybody in the Australian community, who was in any way offended by that document, I am sorry about that because the document was not designed to offend anybody,"" he said. ""The document was designed in good faith by the Minister and those who assisted him in preparing it,"" Mr Howard said. Meanwhile members of the Stolen Generations have disrupted question time in the Federal Senate. Several women watching proceedings in the gallery began shouting at Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Herron as he was answering a question about the term Stolen Generations. Security staff moved towards the women as the Speaker called for order, but did not remove them from the chamber. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Commercial fishermen claim an algae bloom in Moreton Bay, off Brisbane, has forced up to a dozen operators out of business over the past decade and more could go with the latest outbreak. Also known as fireweed, it is affecting up to 40 square kilometres in Deception Bay and off North Stradbroke Island. It is said to be the world's largest such outbreak. Ted Loveday, from the Queensland Commercial Fishermen's Organisation, wants a massive scientific effort to identify and fix the cause. ""The outbreak in the northern part of the bay near Deception Bay has been there for many many years. It's continued to grow and grow and grow and it's continued to be ignored."" ""Now it has to be rectified once and for all. Fishermen simply aren't prepared to let it be pushed under the carpet any longer,"" he said. Commercial fishermen say there was plenty of warning about the bloom."

" The draw has been announced for the quarter final Davis Cup clash between Australia and Germany at Adelaide's Memorial Drive. The first day of the tournament tomorrow will see Lleyton Hewitt face Michael Kohlmann from Germany with Australia's Wayne Arthurs to play against David Prinosil in the second match. The doubles on Saturday will see Pat Rafter and Mark Woodforde play against Marc Kevin-Goellner and Prinosil. On Sunday, Hewitt will face Prinosil, and Arthurs will be up against Kohlman, in the reverse singles. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Tropical Cyclone Vaughan has been downgraded. It is now a category one storm located about 240 kilometres east of Cooktown and 280 kilometres north-east of Cairns. Winds near the centre of Vaughan have dropped from 140 kilometres to 110 kilometres per hour. Cyclone Vaughan is currently stationary, but the weather bureau warns it could reintensify and move towards the coast later this afternoon. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Federal Employment Minister, Peter Reith, says employment growth is continuing strongly although he acknowledges there is more to do. Figures for March released today show unemployment now stands at a seasonally adjusted 6.9 per cent, up from 6.7 per cent in February which was a nine-and-a-half year low. Mr Reith says the unemployment rate was pushed up because the number of people searching for work rose, but overall the situation has been steady. ""When you look behind the figures, employment rose strongly by 27,000, that's full-time jobs and that's very positive,"" he said. ""Over the last 12 months we've had 2.9 per cent growth, that's very strong, and in these monthly figures there was a fall in the full-time unemployment rate for younger people, for teenagers, and some of the young people's unemployment numbers are the best since 1978."""

" The number of unemployed teenagers in Australia has fallen to a record low. Some 65,300 young people are officially seeking full-time work. That is the lowest level for 15-to-19-year-olds since such records began in 1978 and is a drop of more than 4,000 on the previous month. Teenage boys make up almost all the fall, while girls experienced only a slight fall. The overall figure corresponds with a March youth unemployment rate of 22 per cent, a slight fall on February. ____________________________________________________________________"

" A Senate committee has recommended that existing laws be changed to give equal superannuation rights to same sex couples. Under the current laws, surviving homosexual partners are prevented by law from inheriting their partner's superannuation. The committee received 1,300 submissions, of which only five opposed the change. Labor MP Anthony Albanese, who has tabled a Private Members Bill to reform the law, says it is no longer acceptable to discriminate against people on the basis of their sexuality. ""This parliament must seize the opportunity which has had the support not just of gay and lesbian groups, not just the trade union movement, but also, most importantly, organisations such as the Society of Chartered Accountants, such as the Industry Funds Superannuation of Australia, such as the Association of Super Funds of Australia,"" he said. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Police in the northern New South Wales town of Wee Waa will ask all the town's men to undergo DNA testing this weekend in an attempt to solve a rape case. The mass-testing is an Australian first. On New Year's Day last year, a 93-year-old woman was savagely bashed and sexually assaulted, prompting a widespread police investigation. Officers from Sydney and from the Barwon local area command, based in Moree, will descend on the town this weekend to help take voluntary saliva tests from 600 adult men. Officers will also conduct a doorknock as part of their ongoing investigation. The testing this weekend will be on a voluntary basis. But the New South Wales Government has signalled it will introduce legislation to compel suspects and those convicted of serious crimes to undergo DNA testing. Those samples would go into a databank along with samples collected from crime scenes. ********************************************************************"

" Cyclone Vaughan has been upgraded to a severe system. The category three cyclone is moving towards the far north Queensland coast. A cyclone warning has been issued for communities between Cape Melville and Lucinda. It is located 250 kilometres east of Cooktown and 260 kilometres north-east of Cairns. It is expected to move west-south-west with destructive winds developing along the coast this afternoon. Winds are reaching 170 kilometres an hour at the centre of the cyclone, which is expected to cross between Cooktown and Cairns this evening. The cyclone could bring destructive storm surges between Cooktown and Innisfail, with seas likely to rise up to two metres above the normal tide level. A yellow maritime cyclone alert has been issued for Cape Flattery, Cooktown, Port Douglas, Cairns and Innisfail. State Emergency Service groups within the warning area are on standby and the Cairns disaster coordination centre is getting ready to open."

" Australian men's hockey coach Terry Walsh has warned his side Olympic places are on the line in the four-nations tournament starting in Sydney today. Australia, South Africa, India and Germany will play in the tournament, which moves from Sydney to Perth next week. Australia plays India tonight at the Olympic Stadium. Walsh says even players like captain Michael Yorke and Jay Stacey - who have played almost 600 games between them - are not safe if they do not perform. ""Jay's just about on the verge of 300 games, which is an incredible feat at international level and Yorkey's been our captaan and played 280 or something or other,"" he said. ""They're right up there but I'll tell you what, if they slip sideways there's a lot of young hungry people who will take their spot."" ********************************************************************"

" The Reserve Bank has tightened the screws again. In a move to ward off inflation, it has announced another increase in official interest rates. No major home-lender has yet announced how it will pass on the rise but industry is expressing its disappointment. ""Lending rates now under review"" is the position of the big four banks. The Reserve Bank has nudged up official rates 0.25 percentage points to 5.75 per cent. It sees incipient inflationary pressures and cites factors such as expanding credit, increased speculative activity in asset markets, and a possible push for higher wages. The recent weakness of the Australian dollar is also seen as posing an inflationary risk. Industry has been left apprehensive in the wake of the rate rise. The chief executive of the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mark Paterson, says more companies are likely to lower output, employment and investment. At the Australian Retailers' Association, Phil Naylor, says the Australian economy is precariously balanced. New South Wales director of the Housing Industry Association, Elizabeth Crouch, says the building industry is already feeling the impact of the previous two rate increases. ------------------------------"

" New Australian laser technology being developed in Canberra, could eventually allow households to download feature-length movies within a minute. The Australian National University today officially opened the first laser technology production lab of its kind in Australia. Professor Jim Williams is co-leader of a team that has produced a type of semiconductor laser to speed the rate information can be transferred along optic fibres. Professor Williams says the technology has the potential to bring advanced communications such as videophones into the home. ""The lasers actually help pump the light down that fibre, you need many different colours in order to get a lot of information down and then you need to decode it but this is a crucial step in all of that process that we hope will lead to this information revolution,"" Prof Williams said. ------------------------------"

" Australian amateur golfer Aaron Baddeley has received the hardest draw possible for Thursday's opening round of the US Masters. Baddeley, 19, will play alongside world number one Tiger Woods and in front of what is expected to be the biggest crowd following on day one. Stewart Cink is the other player in the trio. Of the other Australians, Craig Parry is in the early group with Scott Gump and Brandt Jobe, and Stuart Appleby with Loren Roberts and Carlos Franco. Greg Norman and Steve Elkington are in two of the last three groups. Norman will play with Davis Love and Hal Sutton, while Elkington is grouped with David Duval and Jean Van de Velde. -------------------------------"

" The former commander of the International Force in East Timor (Interfet) is on a high-level visit to Washington for briefings on his experiences. Major-General Peter Cosgrove's three-day visit includes meetings with officials from the Pentagon, the State Department and members of Congress. General Cosgrove says while there is still concern about the ongoing situation in East Timor, there is a strong view in the United States that the mission has been a success. ""I think we've made our own judgements,"" he said. ""We were able to do the job we were sent for at a relatively low human cost. ""That's also the judgement here and we're eager to draw out of that any lessons that are pertinent to future operations involving peacekeeping forces."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Member for Caldwell, Andrew Theophanous, has asked Parliament's Privileges Committee to examine evidence presented against him in a court case in Victoria. Dr Theophanous has been committed to stand trial on more than 20 charges of immigration fraud. He has pleaded not guilty to the charges. In Parliament, he asked the speaker to consider referring to the privileges committee issues raised in the committal procedings, which he says constitute an unjustified interference in his operation as a Member of Parliament. Dr Theophanous told the house the issues of concern include telephone tapping. ""The question of whether on the basis merely of suspicion and subjective analysis of evidence, bodies such as the NCA [National Crime Authority] are able to comprehensively intercept and record the telephones of Members of Parliament and use that information in whatever way they wish,"" he said. ""In so doing I maintain that they have massively invaded the privacy of people with whom I've been associated."" Speaker Neil Andrew says he is considering the matter. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition has moved to suspend standing orders in the Senate, in an effort to get the lower house to examine its bill on mandatory sentencing. The government has gagged debate of the bill, which supports federal intervention to overturn mandatory sentencing laws in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Opposition Senate leader John Faulkner says the Senate will continue to stifle government business until the issue is addressed. ""We consider that this is a matter of such importance that if the House [of Representatives] doesn't respond to this message, then I think the Senate needs to look at re-inforcing that message in the days and weeks ahead,"" he said. The government's Senate leader, Robert Hill, says the suspension is nothing more than a political stunt. ""It wasn't long ago the Australian Labor Party was referring to the Senate as `unrepresentative swill', in the terms of the then prime minister, Mr Keating,"" Senator Hill said. ""Of course, as the numbers have changed, Senator Faulkner comes in here and says this unrepresentative swill should be sending messages to the House of Representatives that they should treat matters as urgent."" --------------------------------"

" The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commissioner is accusing the Federal Government of setting up a race-based general election. Geoff Clarke says the denial of any existence of the Stolen Generation by Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Herron is part of a bigger Government agenda. ""If you remember back to the last election, it was conveniently race issues were wheeled out and there is no doubt that there is also, I think, a possibility that that could be the case again at this coming election"". Mr Clarke accuses the Government of not being serious about addressing Aboriginal disadvantage, warning of a varying degree of anger among Aboriginal people. The ATSIC Commissioner has refused to distance himself from forecasts of civil unrest in Australia come the Olympics. He also says it is not inappropriate to liken the removal of Aboriginal children from their families to the Holocaust. Mr Clarke wants the Government to invite to Australia, a United Nations Committee which has criticised the reconciliation process so it can see what is happening here first hand. -----------------------------"

" Emergency workers in north Queensland are starting to assess the damage from Tropical Cyclone Tessi. The category one cyclone is weakening and remains on the coast between Ingham and Townsville. Power is still out in about half of Townsville and it is expected to remain out for most of the morning. Many powerlines are down over the roads and heavy rain and wind gusts are continuing. Police say it is just too dangerous to venture out. The region's disaster coordination centre has been activated. Early reports of damage include two yachts washed up on the Strand Beach, a building overturned and a large pane of glass which has fallen from one of the city's high-rise buildings. Townsville Hospital is operating on emergency power, with only a skeleton staff and no surgery will take place today. All schools in Townsville, Ingham and the Burdekin have been closed and people are being asked not to travel. ------------------------------"

" There is declining business confidence in the strength of the Australian economy. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry says its April survey shows a drop of almost two points in the index measuring business expectations of the economy. The survey also reveals businesses are expecting a rise in unemployment and further interest rate increases. The chamber's chief executive, Mark Paterson, says the results are a strong argument against any further interest rate rises. ""As business investment falls as the level of confidence declines, then the expections in relation to unemployment are going to decline as well,"" he said. ""This is not saying that the economy has gone flat or the like, it's certainly continuing to perform well, but it's come off the highs that were there and we don't believe that there's any case for a further movement in relation to interest rates."" ---------------------------------"

" The Queensland organisation, Drug Arm, says some parents want to hire sniffer dogs to go through their children's bedrooms to find out what drugs they are using. Executive director Denis Young says some parents feel the problem is so complex, they are getting advice on how to conduct blood or urine tests on their children. He says there is no evidence to suggest random drug testing in either the home or school is effective. ""It may change it or relocate, but it certainly won't address the issue as to why the young person feels the need to use a substance,"" Mr Young said. -------------------------------"

" Australia is on track for a perfect summer with victory likely today in the third test against New Zealand in Hamilton. The tourists resume at 3 for 137, needing just another 73 runs, with Justin Langer on 71 and Steve Waugh, 1. A win will mean a series whitewash against the Kiwis and a 10th straight test victory. Australian keeper Adam Gilchrist says he is thrilled to be part of the record-breaking side. ""I guess the thing that stands out in my mind is that it's just so enjoyable being in this environment,"" he said. ""The team and obviously the success makes it more and more enjoyable to be around."""

" A man described as instrumental in the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the Very Reverend Dr Fred McKay has died in Sydney, aged 92. Regarded as a successor to the service's founder, John Flynn, Fred McKay took over Mr Flynn's duties heading the Australian Inland Mission and was actively involved in the flying doctor service until his death. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Former premier Jeff Kennett will open a three day national suicide prevention conference in Melbourne this morning. The conference will be addressed by a number of international experts and will examine the growing rate of suicide among young Australians. Figures show that 450 young people in Australia aged between 15 and 24 take their own lives each year. The conference will also consider government strategies to deal with the problem. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" About 1,000 people have greeted the Queen at Busselton airport in Western Australia's south-west. The Queen arrived to the cheers of over 100 schoolchildren who waited patiently for most of the morning. They sang songs, waved flags and tried to catch the attention of the royal couple. The Queen chatted briefly with wellwishers before being whisked away to a waiting car. After the welcome the royal couple toured the local Aboriginal heritage centre. --------------------------------"

" Australia has dismissed New Zealand for 232 close to stumps on the first day of the third cricket Test in Hamilton. Brett Lee was the main destroyer finishing with 5 for 77, the second five-wicket haul of his career. Glenn McGrath finished with four wickets, while Adam Gilchrist also took five catches behind the stumps. For the Kiwis, Craig McMillan made 79 and Chris Cairns 37."

" The southern Queensland city of Maryborough is in shock following a double murder-suicide in a hotel last night. Police believe the gunman knew one of the women he killed. Police are investigating the relationship between the 26-year-old gunman and a female victim. It is believed he entered the Shamrock Hotel armed with two guns following an argument with a 29-year-old woman in the hotel minutes earlier. He shot dead a bar attendant trying to protect the woman and then chased the woman outside, killing her before turning the gun on himself. Police spokesman Eric Meyer says they are in the process of reinterviewing the 15 patrons who witnessed the shooting. ""Any possible witnesses will be spoken to, to put together the circumstances surrounding the shooting. The three bodies will be identified and names will be released later today,"" Mr Meyer said. -------------------------------"

" In cricket, Greg Blewett has been dropped from the Australian side for the third Test against New Zealand which starts tomorrow in Hamilton. Captain Steve Waugh has just named the 12 with Blewett and Michael Kasprowicz the players to miss out. Matthew Hayden has been named in the squad alongside Damien Fleming. ---------------------------------"

" The major shareholder in Air New Zealand says it would prefer Singapore Airlines over Qantas, as a strategic partner for the carrier. Qantas and Singapore are competing to buy Brierley Investment's stake in Air New Zealand, with Qantas saying it wants to create a major new regional airline. But Brierley's chief executive Greg Terry has told Asian television, his group believes Singapore is the world's best airline and an excellent partner for Air New Zealand. A Qantas spokesman refused to comment on the report. --------------------------------"

" The Indonesian Government says it may be able to force former president Suharto to face questioning over corruption allegations. Mr Suharto has refused to answer a summons to appear before an inquiry into the allegations. Former president Suharto is scheduled to be questioned today but his lawyers say he will not appear due to poor health. They maintain the 78-year-old requires help to communicate and struggles to remember detail. It is the second time Mr Suharto has failed to comply with the summons. His legal team says prosecutors are welcome to hold discussions with him only at his home. The government says for the time being it will let the issue be. But Attorney-General Mazuki Darusman says theoretically and legally, the former president could be forced to appear. --------------------------------"

" The Australian Nursing Federation in Western Australia says deregulation of the nursing home industry in Australia has been ""a disaster"". The claim coincides with the release of a survey of registered nurses in WA's 130 nursing homes. The survey report tells of incident in which a body was left in a room while residents ate meals there, inadequate attention to medication, and bed linen being changed only when it looks dirty. The Nursing Federation's Mark Olsen says deregulation of the industry has resulted in an unhealthy focus on documentation to maximise profits. ""If your resident is classified as RCS1, as opposed to RCS5, you get a higher subsidy from the government, which is why the documentation, the focus, has become on documentation, because the government does audits. ""I find it fascinating. They do regular audits of the documentation, and yet the department is hard pressed to do actual audits of the care that is, or is not being provided,"" Mr Olsen said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A new report has found that the suicide rate for young Australians has risen markedly over the past three decades. The Australian Bureau of Statistics has released long-range data on suicide from the year 1921 to 1998. The biggest increase was in the 15 to 24 age group, where it is now found that 27 per cent of young men who die have taken their own lives. Married people are less likely to die from suicide, with unmarried and divorced people more likely. People from rural areas have the highest rate of suicide, with up to 17 people per 100,000 taking their own lives. Meanwhile, suicide rates in South Australia are among the highest in the country. In 1998, the Northern Territory recorded the highest suicide rate of 21 per 100,000 people, this was followed by South Australia and Queensland which recorded 16 per 100,000 people. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Ministers from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries OPEC (OPEC) have ended a meeting in Vienna without reaching an agreement on increasing oil output. Iranian opposition is said to be the main stumbling block. Despite a second day of frantic lobbying and intense negotiation OPEC ministers have failed once again to reach a consensus. Some member states, led by Saudi Arabia, are pushing for an increase in production of 1.7 million barrels a day - a move that may help stabilise the world oil price. Since OPEC curtailed production by the same amount last year the price of oil has almost tripled. Petrol prices have increased around the world as a result. The US has been pushing hard for a significant boost to production. But some countries, most notably Iran, resent the American pressure and also fear an increase in production will see the oil price tumble. Meanwhile, the United States Defence Secretary, William Cohen, will urge Gulf producers to push oil prices lower through increased oil production during a visit to the Middle East next week. ""The secretary will be expressing our national view, which is we want them to increase oil production, which should lead to a decrease in oil prices,"" Pentagon spokesman Kenneth Bacon said. Mr Cohen's message will be ""that it's time for OPEC to increase its production"", he said. Mr Bacon gave no details on Mr Cohen's trip to the Middle East except to say that he would be travelling to the region next week. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government says there could be opportunities for Australian beef exporters because of a suspected outbreak of foot and mouth disease in Japan. Some Australian beef producers say the suspected outbreak will discourage Japanese consumers from importing any beef for fear it may also be contaminated. Samples from black wagyu cattle in Japan's Miyazaki prefecture, south-east of Nagasaki, have been sent to Britain for testing. But the Federal Agriculture Minister, Warren Truss, says it may still be a false alarm. ""There are often false alarms on these sorts of issues,"" Mr Truss said. ""But if it's confirmed then I'm sure that the Australian beef industry will be to the forefront in reassuring Japanese consumers that Australian beef is safe and would be a very attractive option."" Meanwhile, Australian beef producers are being told that they have an ideal opportunity to increase exports to Japan. Bob McLeod from the National Meat Association, which represents export abattoirs and retailers, says Australian beef producers should not be worried that Japanese consumers will turn away from their product. ""We'd be wrong if we go into our shell and say that we've got to put up all shutters and say 'oh this will be a disaster for Australian exports',"" Mr McLeod said. ""I think in the reverse it offers us an opportunity to show Japan and the rest of the world that we are free of foot and mouth that we are a clean, green supplier of a very good product."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A report into NASA's failed missions to Mars has found significant flaws in the work of the space agencies Jet Propulsion Laboratory and American aerospace industries. The report studied three lost missions including last year's Mars Polar Lander. Investigators say inadequate funding and supervision played a key role in the loss of the Mars Polar Lander, the Mars Climate Orbitor and Deep Space Two. In a 60-page report the Mars program's independent assessment team found significant errors in the execution of the program were evident. Nasa's Ed Weiler says plans for a 2001 Mars Lander have been cancelled. The report found the Polar Lander most likely crashed into Mars' surface late last year after its engines prematurely shut down. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's Pat Rafter has been knocked out of the Masters tennis tournament in Florida after losing to world number one Andre Agassi in straight sets. Agassi won the match 6-4, 6-4. However, Lleyton Hewitt is through to the quarter-finals following his straight sets win against Russian Yevgeny Kafelnikov."

" Australian business tycoon Kerry Packer is bidding for inclusion in India's rapidly expanding information technology (IT) market. Mr Packer has announced the creation of a venture capital fund worth almost $400 million. His new venture capital fund KVP Ventures will be created with equal contributions from an Indian stockbroker, as well as the head of an Indian telecommunications firm. Mr Packer's contribution to the three-way fund will be in his personal capacity, to circumvent Indian regulations banning investments by foreign media companies. He says the venture will fund and promote start-ups in IT, adding that India will be the growth area of the future. ---------------------------------"

" Public health screening programs are being hailed a success, following a new report into cancer rates in Queensland. The report, which studied trends between 1982 and 1996, found a 30 per cent decrease in rates of cervical cancer and mortality rates for breast cancer have also fallen 2 per cent. Health Minister Wendy Edmond says early detection programs mean cancers are being caught early and treatment is more successful. But she says smoking continues to cause concern. ""The rate of men dying from lung cancer has dropped from 64 per 100,000 down in 1982 to 52, but at the same time the rate for women has climbed and that's a really worrying sign,"" she said. ----------------------------------"

" Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Barak says the door to further peace talks with Syria remains open despite the apparent failure of a US brokered push to resume negotiations. But Israel's government has now turned its attention to other diplomatic priorities. Despite Mr Barak's comments that the Syrian peace deal is not extinguished, his Cabinet ministers have made it clear that the failed Geneva summit between US President Bill Clinton and his Syrian counterpart Hafez al Assad means a switch in Israeli policy. The focus is now returning to negotiating a final treaty with Palestinian authorities and plans for withdrawing Israel's troops occupying south Lebanon. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A third mass grave, linked to a Ugandan doomsday cult and thought to contain as many as 70 bodies, has been found in the south-west of the country. The grave is located in a house thought to belong to one of the leaders of the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God. Police have brought in prisoners from a nearby jail to exhume the bodies - which are being briefly examined and then reburied in another pit nearby. Police scientists say it appears that many of the victims have been either stabbed or suffocated. The latest find brings to more than 500 the number of cult members known to have been murdered or committed suicide. Last Friday, 153 bodies were found in a series of mass graves at a compound linked to the cult. That discovery came a week after a fire in a school room claimed the lives of as many as 300 cult members. Authorities are continuing the search of properties linked to the sect. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's peak motoring organisation has warned the government it risks a major backlash from the bush over the impact of the goods and services tax (GST). New research for the Australian Automobile Association has found that rising petrol prices are of major concern to people living in the outer suburbs and regional areas. The government is already looking at ways of ensuring that already high petrol prices do not rise further under the GST. The executive director of the Autombile Association, Lachlan McIntosh, says it is a sensitive issue for the government. ""Well I think petrol is such a very major issue for everyone because everyone has to buy it every week, every day of their life for the very basic things they do,"" he said. ""And so when the GST comes along, that's confusing anyway, but I guess it's an acceptable activity. ""What isn't known yet is how the government will meet its promise on making sure that petrol doesn't rise as a result of the GST."" ---------------------------------"

" Australia's maritime commander says the Navy is working hard to stamp out misconduct in the force. The Navy is to conduct a disciplinary hearing with a sailor aboard the frigate HMAS Newcastle. Six other sailors have already been found guilty over an incident last month, when a 27-year-old able seaman fell overboard as the ship was returning to Sydney from East Timor. An audit of management has since seen the second-in-charge of the ship reassigned to shore duties. Rear Admiral David Lord says he does not believe misconduct is widespread in the force. ""I'm always embarrassed when groups of our sailors act stupidly, and they don't just embarrass me they embarrass all of us in the navy,"" he said. ""I think we all feel that and we're trying to stamp out this type of behaviour as much as...[we] can in a big organisation."" ---------------------------------"

" Pope John Paul has left Israel ending his week-long pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The final day presented the trip's spiritual climax and more reminders of the political wrangling that has dogged the visit. During the Pope's visit to Haram ash Sharif, or the Temple Mount, Jerusalem's senior Muslim clerk, the Grand Mufti, demanded his support for an end to Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem. Later, Israeli security forces arrested several Jewish protesters as the Pope visited the most sacred site in Judaism, the Western Wall. There the Pope left a printed message, a prayer repeating the Vatican's call for forgiveness for Christian persecution of Jews. His final act, which he described as intensely emotional, included two visits to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, revered as the site of Jesus' death and entombment. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Talks between US President Bill Clinton and Syria's President Hafez Assad, the first in almost six-years, have ended in Geneva with no sign of a breakthrough. President Clinton had hoped to break the deadlock between Israel and Syria over the Golan Heights. The talks broke up with a US statement there was still much work to be done and no way of predicting how it would all end. Though both sides had played down the chances of a breakthrough before the meeting, the US was encouraged by the fact that the Syrian leader had travelled to Geneva at all because of his poor health. President Clinton is now on his way home to Washington with no positive outcome. Syria wants Israel to return all of the Golan Heights, but the two sides have been unable to agree on a formula. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Michael Schumacher's winning start to the Formula One season in Australia two weeks ago has continued, with a win in the Brazilian Grand Prix. Ferrari's number one driver had more than four seconds to spare ahead of McLaren's David Coulthard in second place, with Giancarlo Fisichella, driving a Benetton, in third. Reigning champion Mika Hakkinen, who started on pole, failed to finish for the second successive race."

" Federal and state environment and agriculture ministers have agreed to review water allocation from rivers in the Murray Darling Basin. The ministers, who are meeting in Canberra today, will also set targets for reducing salinity within 12 months. The meeting has given the green light to an audit of the current water cap, to determine whether it has been set at the right level. Queensland is so far the only state not to sign up although today it says work is being urgently done on the matter. Federal Environment Minister Robert Hill says the Commonwealth will withhold national competition payments if the states do not move to fix water quality in the Murray Darling Basin. ""If the advice to us from their independent assessment is that a state is failing to meet the commitments that that state made under COAG (Council of Australian Governments) then they get docked money, that's the whole purpose,"" he said. -----------------------------------"

" Australia has dismissed a resurgent New Zealand for 298 on the opening day of the second Test in Wellington. New Zealand recovered from 5 for 66 early in the day's play after winning the toss, thanks mainly to a fine century by Chris Cairns. Cairns and Nathan Astle first combined for a 72-run partnership, with Astle making 61, and then Cairns and Adam Parore put on another 109 runs before Parore was out for 46 with the score at 7 for 247. Cairns went on to make 109 before Shane Warne picked up the tailenders to finish with four wickets and wrap up the Kiwi innings. Brett Lee picked up three wickets for Australia and Colin Miller two. Australia are 0 for 4 in reply approaching stumps on day one. ---------------------------------"

" On Landline on Sunday at midday, a Queensland farmer diversifies into aquaculture, and in particular red claw crayfish. And a housing boom in Darwin leads to an expansion of the Northern Territory nursing industry. Go to ""http://www.abc.net.au/landline/"". And on Four Corners on Monday night at 8.30pm, NATO at war. A special report from the BBC. Go to ""http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/""."

" Federal Trade Minister Mark Vaile has criticised union plans to blockade Canadian products as part of the row over raw salmon imports. The Australian Workers Union has sought bans totalling $45 million - the equivalent of the trade penalties being sought by Canada over Tasmania's refusal to allow in Canadian salmon. Mr Vaile says the union call comes at a delicate time in negotiations with Canada and is therefore irresponsible. ""The Canadians following the adoption of the report in Geneva on Monday night, have not have not declared a retaliation list,"" he said. ""I mean the $45 million that the union is referring to was before the previous WTO (World Trade Organisation) hearing not this one."" ----------------------------------"

" New research shows that almost 50 per cent of people most at risk of falling seriously ill or dying from influenza do not plan to immunise against the disease. The finding has sparked renewed calls from Australian influenza experts for high-risk groups to be immunised now. It follows reports of severe influenza outbreaks in the US, the UK and Europe earlier this year. Doctor David Smith, from Perth's Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre, says influenza can worsen heart disease, respiratory problems and diabetes, potentially leading to death. He says immunisation is a simple, safe and effective way of reducing the risk of serious complications. ---------------------------------"

" Three Coalition backbenchers from New South Wales, Victoria and Western Australia are to examine the Senate's report into mandatory sentencing laws. Brendan Nelson, Senator Sue Knowles, and John Forrest have been asked to advise the Government on how it can address some of the social justice issues behind mandatory sentencing. The Government has consistently ruled out federal legislation to override the laws in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. Meanwhile, the Government has been warned the issue is explosive for Australia. The Greens Senator, Bob Brown, says Australia's treatment of its indigenous people will be the focus of international media attention in the Olympics year. Senator Brown has also criticised the government's decision to set up a backbench committee on the issue. ""The Prime Minister's behaving in a way which speaks of failure of imagination, failure of response, failure of leadership,"" Senator Brown said. ""He's setting up backbench committees, he's appealing to attorneys-general, he's writing letters to Perth and the Northern Territory, he's got his head in the sand."" -------------------------------"

" The Australian mining company responsible for a cyanide spill in Papua New Guinea says the amount of chemical that has reached local waterways is unlikely to cause much damage. Michael Silver, from Dome Resources, the company operating the mine in PNG, says up to 150 kilos of cyanide pellets may have dissolved in nearby streams. Mr Silver says clean-up teams have recovered up to 70 per cent of the pellets, accidentally dropped from a helicopter yesterday. He says any cyanide that reaches the waterways will be heavily dilluted. But Igor O'Neil, from the Mineral Policy Institute, holds a much graver view, saying the cyanide was lost in its most concentrated form. ""So even when it's diluted, one teaspoon full of 2 per cent cyanide solution is enough to kill an adult human and much lower concentrations are all it takes to kill fish life and other animals,"" he said. ---------------------------------"

" Australia will be chasing its ninth straight Test cricket victory when it takes on New Zealand in Wellington in the second Test starting tomorrow. But Australia has not beaten New Zealand in Wellington for 55 years. Captain Steve Waugh says he will wait until an inspection of the pitch tomorrow before deciding whether to pick paceman Damien Fleming or spin bowler Colin Miller. ""It looks pretty hard and flat, it's pretty hard to tell,"" Waugh said. ""I think it might seam around the first day or so and be pretty good batting after that. But it's always difficult to tell. I haven't seen too many yellow wickets around."" -------------------------------"

" On Australian Story tonight at 8pm, meet Jason Li, the young Australian who broke the deadlock and drafted the blueprint for what became the 'yes' model in the lead-up to last year's referendum on the republic. Join Jason for an internet forum after the program. Go to ""htt[://www.abc.net.au/austory/"". And on Lateline at 10.30pm, state attorneys-general meet to discuss whether or not they should take on the tobacco companies. Go to ""http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/""."

" One Nation founder, Pauline Hanson, could face bankruptcy after admitting she will not be able to meet tomorrow's deadline to repay more than $500,000 in electoral funds. She is personally liable for the money, paid to One Nation candidates following the 1998 state election, after the party lost an appeal against its de-registration in Queensland. The Queensland Electoral Commission has pledged to pursue the money through the courts. Miss Hanson says she cannot pay. ""Because the party doesn't have this sort of money in a bank account, it will reflect back onto me because it was all in my name and I went as personal guarantee,"" she said. ""So unles this money can be raised...I've either got to sell up my home to try and pay some of this debt, or I could even lose my home and everything. ""If I become a bankrupt I will not be able to stand for Parliament again,"" Miss Hanson said. -----------------------------------"

" The Pope has again expressed his support of Palestinian political objectives while speaking at a refugee camp in Bethlehem, as his Holy Land tour continues. The Dheisheh camp, just over half a square kilometre in size, is home to 10,000 refugees. The welcome for the Pope included banners spelling out the continued demand for a right to return to land occupied by Israel. While not addressing that claim directly, Pope John Paul II said international agreements on Palestinian refugees had to be honoured. ""You have been deprived of many things which represent basic needs of the human person, proper housing...location and love,"" he said. After the visit, violence broke out in the camp with Palestinian authorities cracking down on rock throwing youths. ----------------------------------"

" The chairman of the Federal Government's inquiry into Telstra has sold his shares in the company to avoid perceptions of a conflict of interest. But Labor is still calling for Tim Besley's resignation. The Opposition has pointed to Mr Besley's share ownership and his advisory role at an investment bank involved in the second Telstra float, as evidence of a conflict of interest. Labor says he should be removed from any inquiry which could strengthen the case for Telstra's privatisation. But Mr Besley has sold his shares since his appointment on Sunday. And the Federal Government says the bank, Credit Suisse First Boston, has completed its role in the float and the inquiry is about Telstra services not privatisation. But one other member of the inquiry panel, Ray Braithwaite, who previously opposed Telstra's full sale now has a more relaxed stance. ""If those service difficulties or inequities can be resolved satisfactorily then the government can make its determination,"" he said. ---------------------------------"

" A key indicator of the future state of the Australian economy is pointing to a gradual easing in growth towards the end of the year. The Westpac/Melbourne Institute leading index for January has registered a broadly unchanged growth rate of 4 per cent. Westpac chief economist Nigel Stapledon says that indicates an actual economic growth rate slightly above the trend in six to nine months time. ""It's suggesting now the economy might pull back to closer to trend by late this year early next year,"" he said. ""You'd be looking at a growth rate of somewhere around 3.5 per cent, if this is correct."" ---------------------------------"

" Australian cyclist Lucy Tyler-Sharman says she plans to compete in the selection trials for the United States Olympic team next month, despite being refused a clearance to represent the US at the Olympics. Cycling Australia this week refused a request from American cycling officials to allow Tyler-Sharman to compete for the United States at the Olympics. Tyler-Sharman says she has not given up hope. ""I don't know, it's very frustrating for me, because of course I would like to say my side of things and challenge some of what they have said,"" she said. ""But the advice to me is, not to yet. I have to go ahead to compete at the US trials later and I'm training for it."" -----------------------------------"

" Tonight on Lateline at 10.30pm, on the eve of the anniversay of NATO's bombing of Serbia, we ask where did it get us and is another conflict looming? Go to ""http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/"". --------------------------------"

" Pope John Paul II has arrived in Jerusalem, calling on God to make a gift of peace to the Holy Land. The Pope left Jordan after a visit to one of the sites which claims to be the place where Jesus was baptised. He arrived in Israel to be met by Prime Minister Ehud Barak and President Ezer Weizman. There, the Pope delivered a call for greater dialogue between the region's faiths and for peace in Israel and the wider region. Taken by helicopter to Jerusalem, he was met by the city's mayor, Ehud Olmert, who welcomed him by describing Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the eternal capital. The Vatican does not recognise Israeli sovereignty over East Jerusalem and Palestinians have petitioned the Pope to make a statement supporting their claims in the city - a move condemned by Israel as politicising the tour. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" US President Bill Clinton and Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee have held talks in New Delhi, but failed to resolve their differences on India's nuclear arms program. In private talks with Mr Vajpayee, Mr Clinton urged India to sign the comprehensive test ban treaty. Mr Vajpayee reaffirmed India's voluntary moratorium on nuclear testing and its no first use policy. He also said that India does not want to go to war with Pakistan despite escalating tensions between the two counties. Both leaders also condemned yesterday's killing of 35 Sikh men in Indian Kashmir. It was the first attack on Kashmir's tiny Sikh community in more than a decade of insurgency. Mr Clinton says the massacre highlights the need for India and Pakistan to show restraint and to resume peace talks. ---------------------------------------------------------------"

" Another significant deal appears to be in the offing as players in the Australian Internet sector realign themselves. AAPT shares were briefly suspended from trade on the Stock Exchange this morning, before Australia's third biggest telecommunications company announced it was holding discussions with America Online about its now wholly-owned subsidiary, AOL Australia. But AAPT says the pricing and timing of any transaction have not been finalised. AOL Australia is an Internet online service provider with about 60,000 subscribers. Elsewhere in the Internet sector, yesterday's announcement that Solution 6 is to swallow Sausage Software continues to whet the appetite of sharemarket investors. Sausage shares are up a further 40 cents, or 5.4 per cent, while Solution 6 has jumped 81 cents, or 6.25 per cent. ---------------------------------"

" Latest figures show Australia's population growth rate was greater than in the United States, China or the United Kingdom during the last financial year. An Australian Bureau of Statistics report released today shows the national growth rate for the 12 months to last June was 1.3 per cent. Of Australia's 7.2 million households, a quarter contained a single person. Queensland and Western Australia experienced the biggest growth, increasing 1.6 percent, while Tasmania was the only jursidiction to experience negative growth. -----------------------------"

" Lateline at 10.30pm looks at dealing with depression. One in five Australians suffers from depression, but are drugs the answer or just a quick fix? Go to ""http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/""."

" The squeeze could soon ease on world oil supplies. Local industry players believe a further fall in prices can be sustained. A crucial meeting of OPEC oil ministers takes place next week in Vienna. Ahead of that gathering, there has been a flurry of lead-up negotiations, with public comments now indicating a consensus that oil production should increase from next month. In response, West Texas crude for April delivery has this morning fallen below $US30 a barrel and is now at $US29.50, compared with more than $US34 earlier this month. Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association executive director Barry Jones says the outlook for petrol prices is encouraging for motorists. Meanwhile, high-tech stocks are dropping sharply on Wall Street this morning ahead of a policy meeting at the US Federal Reserve. The Fed's decision on interest rates will be known early tomorrow morning, Australian time and is generally expected to be a raising of rates by 0.25 per cent, although markets are not ruling out a move of 0.5 per cent. In the meantime, the main barometer of high-tech companies, the Nasdaq composite index is currently down 165 points, or 3.4 per cent. The slump in the sector comes just a day after Australian computer systems supplier, Solution 6, launched a $1.6 billion takeover bid for Sausage Software. Telstra is selling assets into Solution 6 and will hold a 40 per cent stake in the combined entity. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Pope John Paul has arrived in Jordan at the start of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The Pontiff has called on Arabs and Israelis to continue working towards peace. Starting the first Papal tour of the Holy Land for 36 years, the Pope prayed at Mount Nebo, the place where according to tradition, Moses was shown the Promised Land. Later he will visit Jordanian sites linked to Jesus and John the Baptist. In his first comments of the tour, he referred to the Arab-Israeli conflict as the grave issue of justice that had to be resolved. Later today, the Pope will conduct a mass in the Jordanian capital, Amman, for some 70,000 people, including tens of thousands of Iraqi Christians who have sought his support for an end to sanctions. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" US President Bill Clinton has completed a one day visit to Bangladesh, promising aid to the flood prone nation. Mr Clinton also used the visit to announce plans to hold a meeting with Syria's President at the end of his south Asian tour. Mr Clinton is the first American President to visit Bangladesh, a country once dismissed as a basket case. Security concerns prevented him from visiting a village showcasing a successful small loans development scheme. Mr Clinton announced a food aid program and $130 million plan to promote clean energy. His visit is widely viewed as US support for a moderate democratic government. Today, Mr Clinton begins his official tour of India, where he and the Indian Prime Minister are expected to sign a vision statement of greater ties between the two countries. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Scientists say Australia will experience more extreme weather over the next century because of global warming. The CSIRO says the country will also become warmer, while other parts of the world will become wetter or drier. The CSIRO has been submitting evidence to the Senate inquiry into Australia's response to global warming. Dr Chris Mitchell says warmer Australian summers can be expected. ""It's really come down to the number of days over 35 degrees, if you live in Melbourne, you're used to experiencing a few days each summer over 35 degrees,"" he said. ""[By the] middle of this century you could expect to see a few more [of] that sort of thing."" -----------------------------------"

" The Queen says she will always retain a deep affection for Australia, even if it eventually becomes a republic. The monarch has told a state luncheon in Sydney she has followed the republic debate with the closest interest and she accepts the outcome of November's referendum. The Queen says the future of the monarchy in this country is a matter for Australians and Australians alone to decide. ""Whatever the future may bring my lasting respect and deep affection for Australia and Australians everywhere will remain as strong as ever,"" she said. ""That is what I have come here to say, that is why I am pleased to be back."" The Australian Republican Movement (ARM) says it is encouraged by the Queen's admission she would retain a deep affection for Australia, even if it becomes a republic. ARM chairman Malcolm Turnbull says the Queen will in turn retain the respect of Australians but is looking to the future. ""I think the Queen has gone further than ... diplomacy would have required her to do so,"" Mr Turnbull said. ""I think she, in some respects, is expecting her speech to be interpreted as saying to Australians 'come on, get on with it'."" The Queen's visit has prompted republicans to regroup to force a plebiscite on the issue. The ARM is preparing for an identity change and elections for national and state leaders. The movement is likely to be renamed Republic Australia. Meanwhile, republic campaigner Reverend Tim Costello says while he is not a supporter of the monarchy, he does not want republicans to protest in front of the Queen. ""We should not at all try to embarrass her by, if you like, our own failure in the referendum last year to make real what's in our hearts, that is, a republican nation,"" he said. ---------------------------------"

" On Four Corners at 8.30pm, the elaborate campaign to undermine native title in Western Australia. This bizarre tale from the outback features mining companies, an anthropologist, an ex-politician and Aboriginal communities being pitted against each other over rival land claims. Join reporter Stephen McDonell and producer Janine Cohen for an online forum at 10.30pm in the east and 7.30pm in WA. Go to ""http://www.abc.net.au/4corners/default.htm""."

" The Federal Opposition has accused the Government of breaking an election promise to let Parliament control an inquiry into Telstra. The government has announced the terms of reference for the inquiry, which it promised to do before agreeing to any further sale. It will look at several criteria, including whether Telstra is meeting its service obligations and whether it is meeting the needs of all Australians. The three-person panel will report in September. But the Shadow Communications Minister, Stephen Smith, has condemned the Prime Minister for not letting Parliament have the proper scrutiny. ""He said that he would not seek to fully privatise Telstra without first seeing the results of an independent inquiry established by the Parliament, with the criteria and the terms of reference established by the parliament. And he should meet that commitment,"" Mr Smith said. ""The fact that he is not doing that clearly means that he wants to slide through with a rigged inquiry to get the outcome that he wants."" The Australian Democrats say the inquiry is too narrow because it will not examine the crucial issue of Telstra's long-term services in the bush. Democrats Senator Lyn Allison also says the panel is not independent enough because it includes a former National Party MP. Senator Allison says regardless of the inquiry's findings, the party is unlikely to change its opposition to Telstra's full privatisation. ""I would be very, very surprised if this inquiry turns up a finding which says that everything's okay,"" she said. ""If it does that then I think we'd seriously have to question the way it reached that finding."" But Communications Minister Richard Alston has told Channel Nine, the government will not proceed with full privatisation if the inquiry finds Telstra's service levels are inadequate. ""Quite clearly the results of this inquiry will be critical to our future approach, but one can't pre-empt the outcome of the inquiry,"" he said. ""It may not be black and white so it won't simply be a matter of saying well did they give it a tick or didn't it. ""They may well make a number of recommendations which we'll have to act upon,"" Mr Alston said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Israel's Cabinet has voted to approve the transfer of another 6 per cent of the West Bank to Palestinian control after months of delay and disagreement. The final approval of the redrawn map comes two days before Israeli and Palestinian negotiators are scheduled to recommence frozen peace talks with a summit in the United States. The handover of this latest parcel of land, two months behind schedule, will bring to 42 per cent the proportion of the West Bank under complete or partial Palestinian control. Israel's Deputy Defence Minister Efram Snai said the land to be returned included significant Palestinian towns if not those bordering Jerusalem. From this week on, 60 per cent of the Palestinians in the West Bank would live under full Palestinian authority. This is the real change. The actual transfer is likely to take place on Tuesday, coinciding with the return of Israeli and Palestinian negotiators to discussion of the outline of a final peace treaty. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" US President Bill Clinton begins his official tour of south Asia today with a visit to Bangladesh. It is the first visit by an American President to the country and the first tour of the region by a President in 22 years. Bill Clinton will spend the day in Bangladesh, visiting community development programs and promoting American business interests. He will fly to the capital Dacca for the day after spending the night in New Delhi. He arrived at Delhi's international airport, accompanied by his daughter, Chelsea and mother-in-law, Dorothy Rodham. Mr Clinton's visit to India is intended to strengthen ties with the United States after a frosty cold war relationship. He will also be pressing India and Pakistan to sign the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty, which neither country has yet committed to signing. Mr Clinton will make a short stop over in Pakistan at the end of the week on his way home for talks with military ruler General Pervez Musharraf. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Mr Gosper has stopped short of naming those he believes are responsible for recent allegations against him. Mr Gosper voluntarily stood down from the IOC's Ethics Commission after claims were made that his family abused hospitality offered by the Salt Lake City bid committee. He says he knows who is behind the allegations but would not name them. He did, however, criticise fellow IOC member Phil Coles for his recent attacks on his family. ""I didn't make an enemy of Phil Coles, I stopped supporting Phil Coles,"" he said. When asked if he suspected Mr Coles of the allegations, Mr Gosper replied: ""I wouldn't say on your air whom I suspected, I would simply start a rabbit run on conspiracies."" ""People have seen Phil Coles' performance as an athlete and as an administrator and more recently understand the files on which he brought himself into disrepute,"" Mr Gosper said. ""Now I didn't attack Phil Coles, Phil Coles lost me when in the process he started to attack my family."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A new study into the effects of the goods and services tax (GST) shows farmers will be better off. The analysis was carried out by the Centre for Agricultural and Regional Economics, based in the northern New South Wales town of Armidale. The centre analysed five types of farms - small and large beef and wool producing enterprises, two cropping operations and a horticultural business. The centre says net disposable income increased for each of the five farm types, from between 16 and 60 per cent. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Attorney General, Daryl Williams, has criticised four judges of the New South Wales Court of Appeal for speaking out against mandatory sentencing. In a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald, Justices Fitzgerald, Stein, Beazley and Wood described mandatory sentencing as unjust, racist and cowardly. But Mr Williams says judges should refrain from commenting on politically contentious issues and that it is inappropriate for judges to use their office to criticise the political process. He says the judiciary should not only be free from interference from the executive but the judiciary should not interfere in matters that are the responsibility of Parliament."

" The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission's (ATSIC) southern zone commissioner for the Northern Territory, says the Federal Government's approach to mandatory sentencing is killing the reconciliation process. Alison Anderson's comments follow the government's gagging of debate on three bills, aimed at overriding the territory's mandatory sentencing laws. Ms Anderson, from central Australia, says the government has nothing to reconcile with if it continues to allow juveniles to be affected by the laws in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. She says the Federal Government should protect children and ensure justice is applied uniformly across all jurisdictions. Ms Anderson says there should be a move towards incorporating traditional Aboriginal law into the legislative framework so indigenous people can administer their own justice. She has also attacked members of the coalition who say they will not cross the floor on the issue, despite opposing mandatory sentencing. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Germany's Upper House of Parliament has voted to lift a four-year-old ban on British beef, originally imposed after an outbreak of mad cow disease in Britain. The European Union (EU) has dropped its legal action against Germany in response. Both France and Germany had defied an EU directive to lift the ban on British beef. But now the German Upper House has voted by a slim majority to lift the embargo. The vote came despite last minute efforts by some rural German politicians, who said they were still not satisfied that British beef was now safe to eat. German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder had hinted that any fines imposed for defying the EU directive would be passed on to regional governments unless the ban was lifted. British beef could now be back on sale in Germany as early as next month. France is still defying the EU directive. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Queensland Government says Herron Pharmaceutical's decision not to immediately report an extortion attempt to police was wrong. Herron knew of an extortion threat to its paracetamol tablets a month ago but failed to inform police or the public. It has also been revealed that the company received threats against its products in 1993 and again in 1995. Police are investigating the latest threat, which has led to a nationwide recall of Herron Paracetamol tablets, after two people fell ill when they took contaminated tablets in Brisbane. Acting Queensland Police Minister Paul Braddy says police and Crown Law officers will investigate why the threat was not reported immediately. ""I want to make it clear to the public that I think it was an error of judgement that it wasn't reported,"" Mr Braddy said. ""It should have been. ""We don't approve of their failure ... to report. ""Officers of the police and Crown Law look to their duty under the law in relation to these matters and I won't comment on any failure to so report other than to criticise it."" The two Brisbane people who were poisoned have asked for their privacy to the respected. Ray Crompton, the spokesman for the hospital where the pair was taken, says the father and son were admitted through the emergency department on Saturday. He would not confirm reports the son was initially discharged and came back only after taking another tainted capsule. Mr Crompton said they were in a stable condition and appreciate the community's concern. He read a statement from the pair: ""However, as we are sure everyone will understand, we do not wish to make any further comment on this distressing situation. ""It's affecting the whole family, a wide range of people. ""We know the health authorities and police are investigating this very serious issue and everyone will be in a better position to keep the public informed once the situation's resolved."" ------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has dismissed concerns that today's meeting of state and territory treasurers has reduced the need for direct contact with the premiers. The goods and services tax (GST) will head the agenda at the Canberra meeting. Today's meeting replaces the annual gathering of state and territory leaders which used to discuss commonwealth funding. The discussion has changed because of the Federal Government's decision to give the states the revenue from the GST. The focus today will be on the administration of the tax and transitional assistance. Some state leaders are not happy with the new arrangements. West Australian Premier Richard Court says the government is downgrading opportunities for the premiers to meet. But the Prime Minister says there is still ample opportunity for heads of governments to discuss important issues, and says he is committed to working closely with states and territories for the good of the nation. ---------------------------------"

" Police in the Kimberley say hopes of finding a teenager who has been missing in the area for a week, are fading. Darryl Clancy left an Aboriginal community near Fitzroy Crossing last week for a 60-kilometre walk with three other boys, who have since been found. Superintendent Steve Roast of the Kimberley Police District says the area the teenager is believed to be in has been too wet for a ground search. However, the water is beginning to subside and it is hoped a ground search can begin this morning. Meanwhile, a search will continue today for 56-year-old Ivann Gepp, who was last seen in his boat on the Fitzroy River on Monday. ------------------------------------"

" On Australian Story tonight at 8.30pm, Sydney Olympics chief Kevan Gosper is seeking the top job job in sport - presidency of the International Olympic Committee. But before he can claim the prize there are hurdles to overcome, not least an IOC ethics committee inquiry into his family's luxury holiday in Salt Lake City. Join Kevan Gosper and Helen Grasswill for an internet forum after the program. Go to ""http://www.abc.net.au/austory/"". And Lateline at 10.30pm looks at Taiwan's elections. Go to ""http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/""."

" The Prime Minister is set to advance the process for the full privatisation of Telstra. He has told Coalition MPs he will soon announce the terms of reference and the personnel for an independent assessment of Telstra's service. The inquiry is a condition for the further sale. Mr Howard has told MPs the sale will only go ahead when the government is satisfied Telstra is meeting its obligations. He says Telstra still has a considerable distance to go before it can assure the Government obligations are being met. ----------------------------------"

" Play has been abandoned on the fourth day of the first cricket Test at Eden Park between Australia and New Zealand. Heavy rain overnight and today prevented any play. New Zealand is 5 for 151, needing another 130 runs to win the match. Shane Warne still needs one wicket to break Dennis Lillee's Australian Test wicket-taking record. ---------------------------------"

" Tonight on Lateline at 10.30pm, new technology stocks are leading markets up around the world, but are they are a sure bet? Go to ""http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/"". -------------------------------"

" A search will resume today for four teenagers who have been missing for five days in Western Australia's north. Police are confident the four are still alive, but they say more fuel is needed to continue the aerial search. Aviation fuel at Fitzroy Crossing is running low because new supplies are being delayed due to roads cut by flooding. The teenagers were walking from the Bayulu Community to Yakanarra, and may have been cut off by floodwaters from former tropical cyclone Steve. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Indonesian police are investigating a shooting incident at the nation's Parliament. A single shot was fired, shortly after the son of former President Suharto had entered the building. The scene was sealed off late yesterday following the attack. It is believed a 32 calibre bullet was fired. It left a window in the hallway of the Parliament broken, but no-one was injured. Tommy Suharto, the youngest son of the former President, had just arrived in the building. He was attending a Parliament hearing into the clove cigarette industry, of which he is a large stakeholder. Mr Suharto junior has overseen a range of business interests, including the failure of Indonesia's national car project. It is not known if there is any connection between his appearance and the shooting. Police investigations are continuing. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition has called on the National Party to stand-up to the Government on Telstra services to the bush. The call coincides with growing support for a rural unit within Telstra dedicated to regional areas. Buried in last week's announcement of a $2 billion profit and the slashing of 10,000 jobs, was a line suggesting the unit for regional services. Coalition MPs have embraced the idea, saying it should form a whole new division of the organisation, although all concede the exercise would require a subsidy. But Labor's Stephen Smith has dismissed the suggestion. ""It's just a sop. It was an attempt at PR to pretend that something real and effective was being done for rural and regional Australia,"" he said. National Party Member for Hinkler Paul Neville says Telstra is now well aware of the anger of Coalition MPs about services to the bush. He says his colleagues will be watching closely to see that promises are kept. Queensland farmers are suspicious about the effectiveness of a new division of Telstra to deliver services to regional Australia. Agforce president Larry Acton says there is currently legislation governing Telstra's service obligations and the organisation should be made to conform under the existing rules. ""Those sorts of things need to be enforced and just by providing another vehicle doesn't necessarily mean that it's going to be delivered,"" he said. ""It may be the solution but I'm yet to be convinced that we're letting them off the hook under the current systems. ""If we haven't got the will to deliver it under a new system it won't work under that system either."" The opposition has also sought a guarantee that the government's promise on services to the bush will apply to a fully privatised Telstra. Mr Howard promised last month at Nyngan that any threat to Commonwealth services in regional Australia would set off a flashing red light in his office. Opposition leader Kim Beazley has challenged the Prime Minister to include Telstra within the guarantee, even after it is fully sold. Mr Howard has told Parliament the promise applies to a majority government-owned Telstra, but when it is fully privatised there are other guarantees. ""The obligation to provide levels of service, in other words the community service obligation, is enshrined in statute and that obtains irrespective of who owns Telstra,"" he said. ---------------------------------"

" A yachtsman in the 1998 Sydney to Hobart race says he would have withdrawn from the event if he had been warned about the storm the day before it engulfed his boat. The New South Wales coroner is examining the deaths of six yachtsmen in the race. Skipper Ian Moray recalled battling 60 foot waves and winds gusting up to 86 knots, on the afternoon of the second day of racing. He told the inquest it was no longer a yacht race, it was survival. The yachtsman, with 20 years experience, said if he had been told of a storm warning issued by the weather bureau, one hour into the race, he would have pulled out of the event. Mr Moray described how with the help of the ABC helicopter, his crew located another vessel which sent out the first mayday of the race. Mr Moray said he waited beside the stricken boat for one hour until one of his crew was seriously injured. --------------------------------"

" New Zealand is 5 for 151 at stumps on day three, needing another 130 to win the first cricket Test against Australia at Eden Park. Shane Warne has drawn level with Denis Lillee as Australia's leading Test wicket-taker. Warne bowled Nathan Astle around his legs for 35 to bring up the 355th wicket of his Test career. Craig McMillan is 57 not out and Chris Cairns has 20. Colin Miller took three wickets and Glenn McGrath one. Earlier today Australia was dismissed for 229 in the second innings. Adam Gilchrist made 59 and Daniel Vettori took seven wickets for New Zealand, to give him 12 for the match. ------------------------------"

" The New South Wales Government has launched a campaign to stop a southward expansion of cane toads along the east coast. The government says there are breeding colonies at Lake Innes near Port Macquarie on the mid-north coast, with Yamba and Grafton further north the most vulnerable areas in the state. Environment Minister Bob Debus, who is launching the campaign, said small numbers of toads have also been transported from Queensland and the north coast to Sydney and Wollongong. ""Residents should report any sightings to wildlife authorities to eradicate a potential threat,"" he said. ""Cane toads are a significant threat to both wildlife and to domestic pets and it's very important that people in NSW understand that they are migrating steadily down the coast. ""We want to make sure that the community will help organisations like the National Parks and Wildlife Service to contain that expansion."" --------------------------------"

" Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern has appealed to all para-military organisations involved in the Northern Ireland conflict to put their weapons beyond use. Mr Ahern said public confidence would be boosted if all groups accepted that a return to an armed campaign was not an option. The power-sharing administration in Northern Ireland was suspended last month following the IRA's failure to start dismantling its weapons. Mr Ahern, who presented the Australian - Ireland Fund's first peace lecture in Sydney last night, says it is accepted on all sides that dealing with the arms issue to everyone's satisfaction is essential. ""There is an ever present danger of the misappropriation of weapons by dissident of criminal elements,"" he said. ""More fundamentally, as long as the arsenals exist, they will be seen by many as representing an implicit threat or option that force could be resumed some time in the future."" Mr Ahern expressed cautious confidence the administation will be restored on what he called a lasting basis. He says he is convinced that the present delays need only be temporary. ""Public opinion north and south and elsewhere will continue to press on all concerned the need for political action now, not to let the moment slip, so that before too much longer we can see the final consolidation of peace and democracy and no more suspensions of institutions in Northern Ireland,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Defence lawyers for deposed Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, standing trial on charges including terrorism, say they will not attend today's session. The prosecution is due to begin summing up its case, but the defence team is demanding the trial be moved for security reasons following the murder of one of its lawyers. Ikbar Rad was shot dead in his Karachi office on Friday by three unidentified gunmen. He was a leading member of the defence team for Nawaz Sharif, who is on trial for his life in a Karachi anti-terrorism court. Fearing for their safety, Mr Sharif's defence team say they will only attend the proceedings if the case is moved to the capital, Islamabad. Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif's wife, Kulsoon Nawaz, has also been charged. She and 16 other leaders of Mr Sharif's Muslim League Party have been charged with treason. Police say they tried to create hatred against Pakistan's military regime in speeches to a convention of party workers. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Stop-work meetings are being held at Telstra call centres across the country over the next week to protest against staff cuts. Telstra wants to shed 16,000, a third of its workforce, within two years. About 50 people from three call centres at Springvale in Melbourne's south-east were the first to hold a stop-work meeting. The Community and Public Sector Union's Doug Lilly says more will follow. ""We're holding meetings in various workplaces over the coming week to talk these issues through but the first thing we've got to do is get some answers from Telstra,"" he said. ""They're not providing them either to the union or to the employees at this stage."" ---------------------------------"

" A pregnant woman from Central Australia may be jailed under the Northern Territory's mandatory sentencing laws for allegedly stealing food and a pram from her ex-husband's house. Theresa O'Sullivan, the lawyer representing the 25-year-old woman, says the case has been set down for hearing in June, when the woman will be nine-months pregnant. She says the woman is alleged to have stolen the food for her five children. ""If she is found guilty of these offences because they are property offences that means she will have to serve a mandatory minimum period of 14 days in prison,"" she said. ""The father hadn't left her with enough money for the five children so she was waiting for him to return her account. ""It's that at some point some of the kids went into the house and let her in and they started eating some food and then she, they gave her some food to take with them and also gave her the pram for the youngest child who is only 19 months who was falling asleep."" ----------------------------------"

" In what is being called the first case of ""genetic terrorism"" in the country a crop of experimental pineapples in Brisbane has been destroyed. The destruction was discovered today. A group calling itself Free Seed Liberation has claimed responsibility for breaking into a private testing facility and destroying more than 100 pineapples being used for genetic research. Professor Ken Reed, from the Queensland Agricultural Biotechnology Centre, says the attack is a further example of the misguided campaign of groups opposing genetic engineering testing. ""I find it extraordinary,"" he said. ""This is a direct attack on the acquisition of knowledge, it's got nothing to do with anything else. ""If you're concerned about the potential for genetic pollution, which is the term used, pineapples are the most benign plants possible. ""They can't interbreed with any other plants in Australia."" Professor Reed says he does not believe opposition to testing genetic engineering procedures is increasing. ""I don't think [there is] necessarily an escalation in the opposition but a change in the nature of it,"" he said. ""It shows you more clearly the basis of that opposition and that's the important point. It's based on ideology, not on any reasoned factual position."" ---------------------------------"

" McLaren and Ferrari have been the pace setters in today's first practice session at the Australian Grand Prix. McLaren's Mika Hakkinen has set the fastest time of the morning at just over 1:32min. Ferrari pair Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello are second and third respectively. But the morning turned sour for Schumacher who suffered a mechanical problem towards the end of the session and had to be pushed back in to the pits. Hakkinen's team mate David Coulthard is in fourth place, 0.6 of a second behind the leader. British American Racing's Ricardo Zonta was first out of the pits for the session and set the earliest fastest time of just over 1.35min. Twenty-year-old Briton Jenson Button was out with Zonta and had the next fastest time at one stage, 0.3 of a second behind. It has not been a good morning for the Prost team, with both Jean Alesi and Nick Heidfeld both coming off the track. ---------------------------------"

" There have been further gains in the Australian dollar overnight following yesterday's strong employment figures. The national jobless rate has fallen to a nine-and-a-half year low of 6.7 per cent as a result of 59,000 extra positions being created in the month of February. During the night, the local currency has been as high as 61.60 US cents. In early morning trading it was sitting at around 61.48 still up 0.2 of a cent on yesterday's local close. ------------------------------------"

" Victorian building unions are prepared to negotiate throughout the long weekend in a bid to resolve the dispute over a 36-hour week, and avert an industry-wide lock-out. The Master Builders Association (MBA) says most employers are still willing to lock-out thousands of workers for three months, starting this Saturday, although it will be reviewed on a weekly basis. But the construction union, the CFMEU, says it spent most of yesterday in talks with several employer groups, who it claims are refusing to join the lock-out. The CFMEU's Martin Kingham says hundreds of sub-contractors have already signed interim agreements. He says talks with other companies will continue today. ""The negotiating parties have made themselves available to negotiate every day during the long weekend, that's Saturday, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday of next week, obviously with the hope that we can achieve and fly up the flagpole an industry settlement before the MBA lock-out really takes effect,"" he said. ----------------------------------"

" Failed businessman Alan Bond is facing the prospect of spending another night behind bars despite having his extended jail term quashed by the High Court. The former tycoon was jailed in 1997 for four years for his part in defrauding Bell Resources of more than $1 billion. That term was extended to seven years after a Commonwealth appeal but the High Court today ruled that federal authorities lacked power to appeal in state offences. Bond's wife, Diana Bliss, has arrived at the Karnet Prison Farm, south-east of Perth, where Bond is being held. She has told waiting reporters there has been a delay in receiving the appropriate paperwork and her husband may not be released until late tonight or tomorrow. ----------------------------------"

" Telstra's chief executive officer Ziggy Switkowski has faced a barrage of criticism from Federal MPs angry at Telstra's service levels. Dr Switkowski this morning spent two-and-a-half hours briefing MPs at Parliament House about Telstra's future, service levels and plans to cut at least 10,000 jobs. MPs and senators from all main parties attacked Telstra over its performance and potential cost-cutting, especially in rural and regional areas. Dr Switkowski says job cuts and cost-cutting are a direct result of the intense competition in the market. ""As prices come down in the local call market - it's an inelastic market, people do not make any more local calls - a cent off our price, that's $100 million goes straight to the bottom line,"" he said. ""You take three cents, that's $300 million [and] $300 million is 6,000 jobs if we have no other alternative way of reducing costs."" National Party Senator Ron Boswell says the planned job cuts and latest criticisms of Telstra will make it harder to sell the merits of Telstra's privatisation to the bush. Senator Boswell says the job cuts will not stop the National Party from supporting full privatisation but he says it is a public relations disaster. ""How am I going to get this message out? My immediate thing, what a disaster as a public relations exercise, what a disaster."" But Dr Switkowski says privatisation is right for Telstra and its customers. ""Our commitment is to maintain the continuous improvement in our service levels throughout all of Australia,"" he said. ""I think as more and more Australians are reassured about Telstra's performance, then any reservations about continuing privatisation will fall away."" Prime Minister John Howard has told Telstra its services to regional Australia must continue to improve. Mr Howard has defended Telstra's plans to shed staff, pointing out that more than 17,000 Telstra workers lost jobs over a three-year period under the former Labor government. He says although there has been a measurable improvement in Telstra's services to rural areas, there is still considerable room for improvement. ""As I said to both Mr Mansfield and Dr Switkowski yesterday, we are determined that the obligations openly given by Telstra in relation to the Australian bush will be maintained,"" Mr Howard said. ""It is an obligation of Telstra to do that. ""There are legislative obligations imposed on that carrier and I have every reason to believe those obligations will be delivered on."" The communication's union, the CEPU, maintains Telstra's announced job cuts are part of a hidden plan to outsource the company's call centres to Asia. The CEPU says staff from the centres have told the union that Telstra has had long-term plans to relocate the operations to Asian countries, to then run the services back into Australia. Telstra has confirmed to the union the majority of cuts will be made in its call centres. CEPU New South Wales secretary Jim Metcher says the Communications Minister, Richard Alston, must give a full explanation. ""We believe this is a national disgrace, when we are talking about Australian services, Australian jobs that are obviously now going to be exported overseas,"" Mr Metcher said. ""We think that the Minister should come clean with the details of where those jobs impacts are, how they are going to be cut back and where operations will be relocated or outsourced to other companies overseas to provide services for this country."" ----------------------------------"

" New research in Victoria claims there is evidence that a growing number of smokers are regulating where they light up. The VicHealth Centre for Tobacco Control, which conducted the study, says four in every 10 smokers now go outside their homes to smoke, twice as many as four years ago. Dr Ron Borland, the director of the centre, says perceptions about smoking are changing. ""I think a social revolution is what it is,"" he said. ""People would not believe 10 or 15 years ago that we would treat smoking the way we do today as something basically individuals should do in private without exposing other people."" -----------------------------------"

" The winners of Australia's Athlete of the Year awards announced today are both field athletes: long jumper Peter Burge and discus thrower Lisa Marie Vizaniari. The awards were decided on the basis of votes based on performance at each of the Grand Prix meetings this season, which finished in Adelaide last night. Lisa Marie Vizaniari received 16 votes in the women's award, beating Melinda Gainsford-Taylor and Emma George, who each finished on 15 points. In the men's, long jumper Peter Burge scored 17 points, beating Patrick Johnson on 15 and Patrick Dwyer and Shane Hair both on 12. Burge says the men's and women's wins are a boost for the profile of field athletes. ""Sometimes it is a little bit hard when you've got the guys running quite well on the track but on the outfield or the infield even there's a lot of good field action going on,"" he said. ""Half of the time there's some world-class performances going on, which a lot of the public don't actually know about but hopefully now we are getting a little bit more of a name for ourselves, the long jumpers, the discus throwers, the javelin throwers etc."" ---------------------------------"

" A major music retailer is to withdraw thousands of compact disks (CD's) from its shelves today because of a row over access to digital distribution. Festival-Mushroom has signed an exclusive deal with Sanity.com to provide online access to some of its artists. But retailer HMV says the deal sets a dangerous precedent and is anti-competitive. Managing director, John Hazell, says CD's by a wide range of Australian artists will be taken off its shelves. ""It does include artists such as 28 Days, Amiel, on the sort of more developing side, Sonic Animation, right through to hugely well established Australian arists such as Jimmy Little,"" he said. Mr Hazell, says he hopes the boycott will force Festival to rethink the deal. ""I also hope that its a clear indication to the artists that maybe this isn't the best deal for them and means they'll be losing the oppprtunity to be represented in retail stores,"" he said. ""My understanding is our action is being supported by other retailers in the country as well."" ----------------------------------"

" Tropical Cyclone Steve, hovering off Western Australia's coast near Carnarvon, is likely to head back across the coast within the next twelve hours. The category one cyclone is currently located 45 kilometres west south-west of Carnarvon, and 95 kilometres west north-west of Denham. The weather bureau says the cyclone has been moving in a south-south-easterly direction at 10 kilometres an hour. Carnarvon has experienced record rainfall, with 102 millimetres of rain falling since 9:00am yesterday. ----------------------------------"

" Telecommunications giant Telstra Corporation has rung up a $2 billion half-year profit. For the six-months to December, Telstra has reported a 16 per cent lift in profit after tax and abnormal items. It has come in at $2.09 billion. The company's directors have declared an increased interim dividend of eight cents a share but it will only be partially franked. The Telstra result looks to have disappointed share market investors. Its share price was down 34 cents ahead of the announcement and after midday trading was 51 cents lower at $8.20. Telstra Two stock is down 48 cents at $5.22. The Federal Government says Telstra's profit results demonstrate the benefits of privatisation. Communications Minister Richard Alston says the result shows privatisation will not affect service levels. ""It's further proof that the company is making very significant progress,"" he said. ""It's also particularly welcome that the company is committing itself to ongoing improvements in service levels. ""There's no doubt that over the last 12 months or so there's been a significant improvement already and that's a fact acknowledged both by the secretary of the CEPU [Communications, Electrical and Plumbing Union], Col Cooper, and the Shadow Minister for Communications, Stephen Smith,"" Mr Alston said. The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU), which covers Telstra workers, says the planned job cuts will lead to a major downgrade in services. The union's Steven Jones says the announcement is insulting to those workers who helped Telstra achieve its profit results. ""Last year, each employee of Telstra delivered over $70,000 in profit to the company and the way the company is thanking those employees this year is to sack 10,000 of them,"" he said. ""Frankly, the CPSU doesn't believe that these cuts can be delivered, without a cut in service to the clients of Telstra."" The Queensland Premier, Peter Beattie, has described Telstra's decision to shed thousands of jobs as extraordinary. ""In many ways it's anti-Australian because there are many parts of this state, where you simply cannot get mobile phone services,"" he said. ""The one-third sale of Telstra in terms of the $1.5 billion has not been put back in my view, into rural and regional Queensland in the way it was promised."" ---------------------------------"

" An announcement is likely to be made tomorrow on the future of the Colonial Financial Group. Shares in the company were suspended from trading yesterday amid speculation of an imminent takeover by the Commonwealth Bank, whose stock was also suspended this morning. If it goes ahead, the estimated $9 billion takeover will be Australia's biggest, and make the Commonwealth the country's biggest bank. A spokesman for Colonial says no statements will be made today, leaving open the possibility of an announcement tomorrow. ---------------------------------"

" International art critic Robert Hughes will face a hearing in Broome, in Western Australia's north, in May, on charges arising from a car crash in which he and two other people were seriously injured last year. Mr Hughes today made his first court appearance on two charges of dangerous driving causing grievous bodily harm. His lawyer told the court his client would be pleading not guilty to the charges which date back to May last year when he was in Western Australia's north filming a documentary. The court was told he had flown from New York to make his appearance in the Perth Magistrates Court. He has been remanded on a personal undertaking until the hearing, which starts on May 8. ---------------------------------"

" The Australian Pagan Alliance has written to the Catholic Bishop of Wagga Wagga in New South Wales, Bishop William Brennan, complaining about an attack on witches. The alliance's letter expresses concern over the tone of recent comments made by Bishop Brennan and his misconceptions about modern witchcraft. The letter says it is highly likely there are witches in Wagga, but that modern withcraft and paganism have nothing to do with Satanism as the bishop spoke of it. The alliance says that while Bishop Brennan has a right to disagree with witchraft, his comments are discriminatory to other religious communities who should be treated with fairness and respect."

" In the United States, voters across the country are turning out for the biggest primary day of the election year. A total of 16 states are involved in polls for the Republican and Democrat parties. With Vice-President Al Gore expected to easily win the Democrat contests, most attention is on the Republican battle. It is here the insurgency campaign of Senator John McCain is facing it hardest test against front runner Governor George W Bush. Senator McCain leads in most north-eastern states and polls show a tight race in New York. But Senator McCain is apparently lagging behind Governor Bush in Ohio and also in the critical California primary, which is a winner take all contest with a big swag of nominating convention delegates up for grabs. But Senator McCain says his position is improving. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The former High Court Chief Justice, Sir Harry Gibbs, has described mandatory sentencing laws as wrong. His opinion was sought as part of a push by some Federal Coalition MPs to have the laws changed. While some in the Coalition support the mandatory sentencing laws in Western Australia and the Northern Territory others want them changed. A Senate committee, which has been considering whether the laws as they relate to juvenile offenders should be overturned was due out tomorrow, but has been delayed until Monday. The Prime Minister is reluctant to overturn the laws, although he says they are silly. He says there is legal opinion in WA and the Territory that the laws do not breach international obligations. But Sir Harry's view, which was sought by backbencher Brendan Nelson and circulated to other coaliton MPs, is that the laws are in principle wrong. He says mandatory sentencing has particularly unfortunate consequences for juveniles, and common sense as well as international convention dictate imprisonment should only be imposed on a child as a last resort. ""The law in the Northern Territory seems to be particularly draconian. The law in Western Australia is less draconian."" Meanwhile Greens Senator, Bob Brown, who has proposed the bill which would overturn the laws, has welcomed Sir Harry's support. ""Sir Harry is a very eminent legal expert and his opinion will carry a great deal of weight."" -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, is claiming support for the ALP's promise to roll back the goods and services tax (GST) if it wins office. But the Prime Minister, John Howard, has accused Mr Beazley of weak leadership. Mr Beazley has told the ALP party room the party's benchmark polling confirms the plans to roll back the GST is winning support."

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has described the mandatory sentencing laws in Western Australia and the Northern Territory as silly. He has told the Coalition party room the laws rob the judiciary of discretion. National Party leader John Anderson told the meeting he has reservations about what the laws mean for juveniles. Despite his comments, Mr Howard remains reluctant to overturn the laws, saying the Territory and WA have legal opinions indicating the laws do not contradict Australia's international obligations. Mr Howard says the government is waiting for the Senate committee report on mandatory sentencing due out on Thursday. ----------------------------------"

" Former residents of the Riverside Nursing Home at Patterson Lakes in Melbourne have spent their first night in the city's St Vincent's Hospital. Another 10 residents are due to move today. The government effectively closed the troubled Riverside Nursing Home yesterday by removing funding and deregistering it. The action was result of it not making satisfactory progress for reform after kerosene baths were given in January. Twenty former residents are in a new unit at St Vincent's, but they are only expected to stay there a month. Their future beyond that is not known. St Vincent's chief executive Kerrie Cross says the new residents will have more staff to care for them than they are used to. ""We know that when people will come to us they will have medical conditions and they will be disturbed and anxious and they will need a higher level of care,"" she said. ""Some of the rooms at Riverside are accommodating up to five residents at the moment and we believe that they will settle quite quickly."" The Australian Nursing Federation is demanding the Commonwealth honour the outstanding entitlements of staff at the Riverside nursing home. The union says most nurses and care-givers are now without jobs. Nursing federation secretary Hannah Sellers says Riverside staff are out in the cold and fear they will lose their entitlements. ""I just find it absolutely appalling at the whole way this matter has been handled,"" she said. ""It's quite obvious that the staff, if they don't have that commitment given by the Prime Minister or the Minister for Aged Care, that they are going to be subsidising this whole debacle to the tune of anything up to $500,000. And we believe that that's just totally unacceptable."" Ms Cross says ex-Riverside staff are welcome to join St Vincent's hospital's casual pool. ""Any Riverside nurse could join our casual bank and continue to care for the residents as long as those nurses are appropriately qualified and meet our standards of care,"" she said. Meanwhile, the lawyer representing the Riverside Nursing Home says despite many residents leaving, the company still wants to pursue an Administrative Appeals Tribunal hearing aimed at having the Commonwealth's decision reviewed. Graeme Ephron says with more than 20 people still at Riverside the government needs to ensure they are cared for. ""The issue is the paramount interest and welfare of the residents and they clearly want to stay and if they want to stay we want to be able to provide them with adequate care and to do that we need the government funding,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president Kevan Gosper says he is disappointed not to be cleared immediately of corruption allegations by the IOC's ethics commission. The commission has called for an independent examination of the case. Mr Gosper is just the latest in a long list of IOC members to be tarnished by the Salt Lake City scandal. The IOC vice-president has continually denied allegations that he accepted thousands of dollars worth of hospitality from the bid team and had been hoping the ethics commission, that he was instrumental in establishing, would clear him at its meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. Before the meeting began Mr Gosper resigned from his position on the commission. The ethics commission has had all documents relating to the case for the past three weeks. After deliberating for three hours his fellow commission members said that although they believed Mr Gosper was innocent they felt an outsider should study the dossier and report back. The independent report is expected to be completed in a matter of weeks. Mr Gosper has emphatically denied the allegations, but says he had to divorce himself from the commission to ensure the integrity of its deliberations. ""I believe right from the start that I wasn't guilty of any improper behaviour, nor my family, nor were there any rules broken,"" he said. ""On the other hand, I just feel that that commission has got to be absolutely clear of any doubt and I resigned because once you're accused of something no matter what your defence is there's that risk of some compromise or blemish."" He says the episode has damaged his reputation and he did not want the commission damaged by the episode as well. ""Having being wounded, even though the wound will heal, it's terribly important that commission moves forward absolutely unimpaired and above board in every respect,"" he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Islamic militants fighting against Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon are declaring a victory in the wake of Israel's decision to pull out its soldiers before July. However, elsewhere in the Arab world the reaction has been more cautious. Newspapers in both Lebanon and Syria express doubt that Israel genuinely wants to withdraw from its self-declared security zone within the framework of a wider peace deal. Syria's official daily newspaper says Israel's talk of a unilateral withdrawal carries with it the seeds of war for the whole region. In Beirut, media reports claim Israel is trying to divide Arab nations before a meeting of their foreign ministers in the Lebanese capital this weekend. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian women's hockey championships begin in Sydney today, giving teams the chance to play at the Olympic venue at Homebush. New South Wales is the defending champion. One of its forwards, Hockeyroo Alyson Annan, says the tournament will be a good trial for the Olympics. ""The thing that will benefit most of the players here is that it will be in an Olympic format so we'll be playing in the times of the Olympics,"" she said. ""I think the space in between the Games is quite similar to what we'll face in September."""

" Unemployment looks set to continue to fall, but at a slower rate. New figures out today show an increase in the number of job advertisments. The ANZ Job Ad series for February shows major metropolitan newspapers carried an average of nearly 30,000 job advertisements a week - a 5 per cent increase, which partially reverses January's 6.7 per cent decline. It is the biggest increase since April 1997. But the ANZ's chief economist, Saul Eslake, says the underlying trend remains downward. ""It does seem reasonable to conclude that the pace of employment growth might be slipping back a notch from what we saw in the second half of 1999,"" he said. The downward trend eases the pressure on official interest rates. ""My guess at this stage would be that there's probably not much of a case for a further rate rise between now and say June,"" Mr Eslake said. ---------------------------------"

" The Heart Foundation is to pressure the film and fashion industries to agree to a voluntary code of conduct to stop smoking being glamourised. The foundation's New South Wales executive director, Maree Faulkner, told women in Sydney tobacco industry documents recently released on the Internet prove women are being manipulated. Ms Faulkner says since advertising has been banned, the tobacco industry has been getting its message to young women through film and fashion. ""I think we need to call on the fashion and film industry,"" she said. ""I think we need to say to them, you're responsible people, you have a role in society where lots of young people look at your industries and develop their self image based on what you present. ""There's a responsibility there to not encourage these young women to take up a deadly habit."" -------------------------------------"

" Aged Care Minister Bronwyn Bishop faces a barrage in the Federal Parliament today, with a decision on the fate of Melbourne's Riverside Nursing Home still to be revealed. Mrs Bishop has been under pressure since it emerged the home's residents were bathed in a kerosene solution to treat a common skin ailment: Mrs Bishop says the decision about the home is up to a departmental delegate who is still considering a report on the incident. She says she has had legal advice against pre-empting any action before a decision is made. ""It is imperative that legal process, due legal process be followed,"" she said. But Labor's Chris Evans says she is hiding behind the excuse and has called for her to resign. ""She blamed the department, she blamed the agency, she blamed the nurses, she blamed the State Government and now she's blaming the legal advice,"" he said. Even the Democrats leader Meg Lees has suggested the Minister may have to make the ultimate sacrifice. But Mrs Bishop is standing firm, insisting the systems were in place to prevent the situation, but the processes were not followed. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Greens Senator Bob Brown says he hopes Federal Coalition politicians have the courage to defy the Prime Minister and support an end to mandatory sentencing laws. Senator Brown has introduced a bill calling for the laws in Western Australia and the Northern Territory to be overturned by the Federal Government. The Prime Minister has rejected the calls and a Senate committee inquiring into mandatory sentencing will deliver its report this week. Senator Brown says he is confident the Lower House will support the bill calling for the laws to be overturned. ""I believe this is such a hugely important issue for Aboriginal Australian kids that there must be enough members of the Liberal Party who have the courage of their convictions to cross the floor and see this legislation come into law, even if the Prime Minister doesn't want that outcome,"" he said. The Australian Democrats' Brian Greig says he will put forward a motion this week calling on the Senate to defer debate about other matters until mandatory sentencing is dealt with. He says he is confident the committee, which is dominated by non-government members, will decide the laws must be repealed. ""Historically, Senate committees tend to produce relatively objective reports and tend not to be party political in their findings,"" he said. ""I'm hoping that that will be the case with this as well it seems to me that as I said all the people on the committee are I think good people. ""We've seen the evidence, we've read the reports, we've listened to the witnesses and I think that we can produce, I'm quite hopeful that we can produce a report on which we can all agree."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Residents in the north of Western Australia are preparing for the onset of a tropical cyclone. A tropical low off the Kimberley coast is developing into a cyclone and should be named as one in a few hours. Gales with gusts up to 100 kilometres an hour are expected to hit areas between Cape Leveque and Wallal sometime today. The low is the remnants of tropical cyclone Steve which first hit Queensland last week and then reformed in the Gulf of Carpentaria to strike areas of the Northern Territory. It is predicted heavy rain in the north and west Kimberley will cause widespread flooding in the region's low lying areas. The cyclone warning extends between Cape Leveque and Port Hedland with residents in those areas on blue alert, while a cyclone watch extends west to Exmouth. The weather bureau's Len Vanburgel says the cyclone threat is a concern to coastal residents. ""It is a bit of a concern because while it stays relatively close to the coast it can, of course, wing in and it can start affecting the coastline and start producing gail force winds on the coastline,"" she said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government is considering raising the level of immigration next year. Yesterday, the Prime Minister said he would be in favour of increasing the migrant intake if it could be shown to be in Australia's interests. The New South Wales Premier Bob Carr has warned against allowing more migrants into Sydney. The Immigration Minister, Phillip Ruddock, has told Channel Seven he will take a submission to Cabinet next month to increase the level of immigration next year. ""There is some capacity at the moment for additional skilled growth if the government determines that's the route it wishes to take,"" he said. ""If the government decides that, weighing up all the arguments, that we can produce such an outcome [increased immigration] beneficially for the Australian economy and produce a better standard of living for all Australians."""

" Police say this year's Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras was relatively incident-free, with just seven arrests. While the weather looked ominous for the start of the parade, nothing could keep the crowds away. Police estimate more than 500,000 people flocked to central Sydney for the 23rd annual Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras parade. Religion played a significant role in this year's parade with a number of the more than 200 entrants representing or satirising most of the major denominations. Media magnate Rupert Murdoch, columnist Piers Ackerman and Western Australian Premier Richard Court all received their share of flak with the aid of effigies and face masks. Dusty Springfield and Princess Diana were also remembered for their legacies."

" But while the parade may have been criticised in the past for straying from its political roots, many topical issues made an appearance last night. Among them was a group of walking tampons, calling themselves the Bloody Marys, protesting the levying of the goods and services tax (GST) on sanitary products. The biggest cheer of the night, however, was saved for the NSW police officers who marched in the parade for the second year running. The parade also provided a more unusual kind of wedding reception for one gay couple who had earlier held a committment ceremony in Hyde Park."

" The officer in charge of the Katherine police station, Colin Smith, says the water level in the river is dropping, but slower than expected. He says people who are cut off from town can be ferried across at Florina Road, and at the rocks area, near the intersection of the Gorge Road and Morris Road. ""Florina Road way we're probably looking at 100 to 200 people and on the other side of town probably a similar number, 50 to 60 people on the Gorge Road side,"" he said. The waters have subsided at the community of Beswick, to the east of Katherine, where 250 people have been sheltering under tarpaulins on the high ground. Sergeant Aarron Larson from the Maranboy police station says 80 per cent of the houses were covered in water, so now a big clean up is beginning. ""The actual structures and the buildings haven't suffered a lot of damage, it's just possessions and what have you,"" he said. ""All that will have to be assessed as they go through, but there will be quite a bit of loss on furniture and articles."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Investigations are underway to determine why a prawn trawler sank overnight in far north Queensland waters. Two fishermen were rescued from a dinghy after their trawler, the Sea Mistress, sank about 2.5 nautical miles off Brampston Beach near Innisfail. Coastguard Commander Rob Bryant says it seems the nets of the trawler got caught underwater and it was all over before the men could do much about it. He says the men are shaken by the ordeal. ""Naturally, I mean, a bloke who's just lost his livelihood it's not easy for anybody but as I say they're glad they're alive and can work together towards a new life,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Victoria is 5 for 382 in reply to New South Wales first innings of 148 on day two of their interstate match at Punt Road Oval. Darren Berry is on 102 with Matthew Elliott on 93 - the Blues have a first innings lead of 237. In Perth, Western Australia is 7 for 525 in the match against Queensland at the WACA. Michael Dighton is on 166 with Matthew Nicholson on 38. Tasmania is 3 for 144 after tea in reply to South Australia's first innings of 5 for 502 declared on the second day of their interstate match in Adelaide. The Tigers trail by 358 runs. And South Africa is one for 73 in reply to India's first innings total of 158 in the second Test in Bangalore. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The decision to set Augusto Pinochet free has been condemned by lawyers in Spain and the other three European countries which were seeking his extradition. The Spanish extradition request was supported by similar cases brought by victims families in France, Switzerland and Belgium. Lawyers in all four countries have reacted with regret and anger at the British Government's decision, but they say there is now no legal means to appeal. The Swiss Prosecutor says it confirms Britain's long tradition of being a refuge for criminals of all kinds. The Spanish Government says it will respect what it describes as a poltical matter. The French Prime Minister, Lionel Jospin, says his government views the decision with regret and shares the disappointment of the families of the victims. French President Jacques Chirac said he hoped Pinochet would now face justice in Chile and the Belgian Government announced that it would be sending the files relating to its case on to Santiago."

" The International Cricket Council will draw up a proposal for a 10-year Test schedule to ensure a fairer share of fixtures. The ICC says the schedule would seek to benefit newer countries in the nine-nation Test arena, such as Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. Each team will have to play at least two series against every other country in the 10 years, one at home and another away. However, series such as the Ashes, played every two years between Australia and England, will not be affected. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Federal Government is preparing to clamp down on petrol retailers illegally diluting fuel as a form of tax evasion. Fuel companies are claiming dilution using the paint thinner, toluene, is widespread. Petrol retailer, Liberty Fuel, wrote to the federal government blowing the whistle on petrol diluters last year, but claims nothing was done to stop a practise it estimates is robbing the government of $500 million in excise. The Prime Minister, John Howard, the Transport Minister, John Anderson, and the Assistant Treasurer, Rod Kemp, have all backed the idea to apply excise to toluene, removing the incentive to use it as a cheap petrol thinner. Mr Anderson says dilution will not be tolerated. ""If people are avoiding their excise responsibilities, plainly that's an untenable situation and the government will have to fix it,"" he said. Senator Kemp says he is in urgent talks with the Tax Office on methods to monitor petrol quality and how to tax toluene, without affecting the paint industry. ""Initial advice I have received is that we are doing what we can to deal effectively with the problem,"" he said."

" Australia says it recognises differences on defence policy with New Zealand over military spending and the United States alliance. The Prime Minister, John Howard, says he discussed future military approaches during talks in Sydney with the New Zealand Prime Minister, Helen Clark. ""We share a lot of interests in common, but there are going to be points at which we put an emphasis differently from New Zealand, and New Zealand differently from us,"" Mr Howard said. ""It's far better to recognise that from the very beginning and be candid about it and get on which the association."" Mr Howard announced that Australia will start to lift its defence budget from July next year. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Government has denied it is reviewing its policy on applying the goods and services tax (GST) to long-term caravan park rentals. The Deputy Prime Minister, John Anderson, created confusion about the policy when he told reporters the matter is being considered by the government. A spokesman for Mr Anderson says the Minister knows there will be no change in the policy, but was unsure whether this had been announced. The Government has offered caravan park operators the option of a 5 per cent GST on long-term tenants, or to go GST-free with no rebates for GST paid on business inputs. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A departing senior manager at Telstra denies there's a ""brain drain"" of top staff, lured from traditional companies to new high-tech ventures. Peter Shore, a former group managing director with the carrier, is himself leaving to head My-Price, an Australasian offshoot of US e-commerce firm, Priceline.com. Former New South Wales premier Nick Greiner recently left the board of Coles Myer, after becoming chairman of online retailer Dstore. Despite his own departure, Mr Shore does not believe there is a trend emerging. ""Companies like Telstra are training hundreds and hundreds of Internet-savvy managers every year and the banks are doing it and the insurance companies are doing it and the airlines are doing it and the Telstras are doing it,"" he said. ""I'm not really convinced there's any brain drain from the old to the new economy. I think the old guys are working very hard to transform their businesses."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" One person is dead and four are in hospital following another shooting in the United States, this time in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The man suspected of shooting them has been taken into custody. The shootings took place in Wilkinsburg, near Pittsburg, where a man shot a maintenance worker he had called to his apartment. He then went to a nearby McDonald's and shot three people before apparently shooting another at a neighbouring Burger King. He then sealed himself in an office building but was eventually convinced to surrender by police. One person has reportedly died and four others are said to be in a critical condition. The shooting comes a day after an incident in Michigan, where a six-year-old boy shot a girl in his first grade class with a gun he had found at home. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The National Herbarium at Sydney's Botanic Gardens is mothballing its mothballs, which have been used for decades to protect its dried plant specimens. Naphthalene, which can cause eye, nose and throat irritations, is being replaced with a system of freeze-dried specimens, room temperature control and insect traps. Tony Martin, from the Botanic Gardens, says the plant discoveries of botantist, Joseph Banks, are among the collection. ""Naphthalane's been used for many years, probably well over 100 years, as an insect deterrent to try to reduce the effect of insect damage on herbarium specimens or museum specimens for that matter,"" Mr Martin said. ""But we are trying to phase its use out because of the potential dangers of naphthalane to visitors and employees of the organisation."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" New Zealand-born and Australian-raised actor Russell Crowe has been shortlisted for the British Academy of Film and Television's best actor award for his role in The Insider. Crowe is up against Kevin Spacey for American Beauty and Ralph Fiennes for The End of the Affair. American Beauty swept the board with 14 nominations, including best film, best director and best cinematography."

" Insurance company Zurich Australia says an unintentional data entry error is to blame for it issuing increased premiums to its Tasmanian and Western Australian customers. The company has agreed to refund a total of almost $50,000 to 348 businesses following a complaint to the goods and services (GST) hotline. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, which is investigating the billing practices of another seven insurance companies, says the mistake shows a systemic failure in Zurich's methodology in calculating the GST. However, the company's chief executive, Malcolm Jones, says the mistake was not tax-related. ""People can draw their own conclusion,"" he said. ""From our point of view it was a data entry error so I suppose you could form the view that that was systemic but I suppose we, not just we, but everybody from time to time will have a data entry error."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Republican presidential candidate George W Bush has had a big win in the primary in Virginia. As counting began, exit polls pointed to a margin of around 15 per cent. Governor Bush claimed victory and lashed out at opponent John McCain over his attacks on leaders of the Christian Coalition who are supporting him. ""The voters of Virginia have rejected the politics of pitting one religion against another,"" Governor Bush said. According to preliminary figures, Governor Bush increased his already-strong support among Republican voters in the open primary, with 71 per cent backing the Texas Governor and just 25 per cent backing Senator McCain. Among Christian conservatives, the difference was even greater, with Governor Bush dominating by a margin of eight-to-one. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" New flood surges are continuing to swamp towns in Mozambique with one of the country's biggest cities now under water. Rescuers have been concentrating their efforts on the coastal town of Xai Xai. Raging flood waters surging down the Limpopo and Save Rivers have now struck the coast in Xai Xai, where more than 100,000 people were seeking shelter from the rising waters. UN officials say the town is without fuel to run boats to rescue people. The onus is falling again on the stretched resources of the South African military, which has supplied an additional five helicopters to the rescue effort. Relief workers say the rescue phase of the emergency is far from over with more flood surges expected to hit towns over the coming days. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Tropical Cyclone Steve is expected to cross the Northern Territory coast at about midday today. The category one cyclone is in the south-western Gulf of Carpentaria, about 80 kilometres north-east of Port McArthur. The Darwin weather bureau says it is moving west at about 13 kilometres an hour and is expected to cross the coast between Port McArthur and Port Roper, on the Gulf coast. A cyclone warning continues for coastal and island communities between the Territory-Queensland border and Alyangula, on Groote Eylandt. The warning between Cape Shield and Alyangula has been cancelled. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia will be aiming to extend its unbeaten one day world record when it plays New Zealand today in the fifth limited overs match in Napier. The Australians, who have not been beaten in 13 consecutive matches, are considering playing their three fastest bowlers, Brett Lee, Glenn McGrath and Damien Fleming. Australian captain Steve Waugh says the trio will all play if the wicket is green. Meanwhile, Australian batsman Ricky Ponting will undergo a final fitness test on an ankle injury today before the national selectors decide if he can play in the New Zealand test series. Ponting injured the ankle in a fielding mishap in Sydney during the one day finals against Pakistan. If Ponting is ruled out of the three test series, Andrew Symonds, Simon Katich and Damien Martyn would be in contention to replace him."

" In Australia's top end, Tropical Cyclone Steve is moving slowly away from Mornington Island towards the Northern Territory side of the Gulf of Carpentaria. The cyclone, which is the same system that struck Cairns on Sunday night, reformed this morning over Mornington Island. Sue Oates, from the Brisbane Cyclone Warning Centre, says the cyclone is moving west-north-west at 11 kilometres an hour and could threaten communities between Port Arthur and Groote Eylandt tomorrow morning. ""Steve's continuing to move westward although somewhat slower than it's been doing over the past 12 hours,"" she said. ""There is the possibility that it could intensify further, though at this stage it's not showing any signs of doing that."" The cyclone passed over Mornington Island earlier this morning and the island's state school principal Jay Mills says there was some minor damage. ""Metal louvres were ripping off. We have a huge covered play area and that was damaged quite severely,"" she said."

" Australian Olympic officials Kevan Gosper and John Coates will urge Prime Minister John Howard this afternoon to maintain current funding levels for elite sport. The officials are hoping the Federal Government's current policy of redirecting funding away from Olympic sports after the Sydney Games will be overturned. Mr Coates and Mr Gosper are worried that if funding is cut, top coaches will leave Australia for other countries including Italy and France. ____________________________________________________________________"

" A second two-day audit is being completed at a Melbourne nursing home after nurses reported more problems about the standards of care at the home. The Aged Care Standards and Accreditation Agency inspected the Riverside Nursing Home in Patterson Lakes following revelations the residents had been bathed in kerosene to treat scabies. Aged Care Minister Bronwyn Bishop says agency nurses, who have since been working at the facility, say the sanctions placed on the home have not been met. Mrs Bishop says these include requirements about fly-screens, food storage, climate control and privacy matters. Mrs Bishop has rejected allegations that information about nursing homes ""of concern"" is being withheld from the public. She says all audit reports are available, on request, from the accreditation agency. ""Those reports are available now if you ring up and ask for them,"" she said. ""But I want them back on the Internet and I have asked them to do that as quickly as possible, because in this day and age that's the quickest way of disseminating information."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Flood waters in Mozambique are not expected to recede until the end of the week, with tens of thousands of people still waiting for evacuation from the hardest hit areas. The flood surge is now heading for a town currently sheltering more than 100,000 people. The two metre high flood surge is tearing its way towards the Mozambique coast and the city of Xai Xai where 130,000 people have taken shelter from the raging waters. The town is now cut off and is without fuel or power. Emergency teams say the situation in the town is critical. The Mozambique Government has made a desperate appeal for more helicopters to assist with the airlift of more than 80,000 people still stranded in trees and on roof tops further inland. Officials say the death toll is impossible to calculate until the flood waters recede. However, the government says it is certain to be high as most Mozambiquans cannot swim. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The weather bureau says Cyclone Steve which swept across Cape York yesterday is about to be reborn in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The tropical low is crossing Mornington Island and moving north-west towards the Northern Territory. The bureau's issued a tropical cyclone warning from Mornington Island in Queensland to Groote Eylandt in the Northern Territory. Geoff Callaghan, from Brisbane's Cyclone Warning Centre, says the system is intensifying. ""The pressure has been dropping fairly rapidly,"" he said. ""Our automatic weather station there is not producing gales at the moment but it's developing a very strong tropical cyclone structure when you look at either radar or satellite imagery."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" The increasing export of Australian technology is to be recognised at the annual Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics (ABARE) conference opening in Canberra today. The Outlook forum, which focuses on commodity forecasts, will include manufacturing and service industries for the first time. ABARE head Brian Fisher says discussion is likely to feature the positive direction of the economy and potential problems, including rising world oil prices. He says one issue to be discussed is the increasing opportunities for exporting services. ""We've seen much more interest now in all of the technology and software services Australia is becoming better and better at,"" he said. ""I expect to see quite a big emphasis at the conference this year on those issues."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" The head of the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation says he has no problem with Prime Minister John Howard leaving open the timetable for the reconciliation process. The formal part of the reconciliation process overseen by the council is due to conclude at the end of the year. But Mr Howard says a deadline can be counter-productive and reconciliation will continue for many years. Speaking from the United States, Reconciliation Council chair, Sir Gustav Nossal, says the council has always maintained that the process must continue beyond this year. ""We did discuss the issue of arbitrary deadlines and we agree with him that reconciliation is not an instant fix,"" he said. ""It is not like a clap of thunder, it's not like something that happens from one day to the next. ""What we believe, however, is that Corroboree 2000 will be a major step, a major stepping stone in the pathway to reconciliation,"" Sir Nossal said."

" The Federal Opposition has ruled out further deregulation of Australia Post. Labor has promised it would put in place computer technologies to allow post offices to offer online services to regional areas. Opposition leader Kim Beazley says the Labor Government would stop further deregulation of postal services and ensure Australia Post remains in public hands. Mr Beazley says post offices would provide online public services such as health, social security and employment to regional areas. He has released the policy during his three day visit to northern Tasmania where the shadow ministry has been developing its regional strategy. Further details will be released closer to the next federal election. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The New South Wales Government is being urged to reject a report calling for no phasing out of battery hen farms until 2015. The report, by the Agriculture Resource Ministers' Council of Australia and New Zealand, has recommended no change to battery hen housing conditions for the next 15 years. The Independent MLC, Richard Jones, one of eight Upper House MPs calling for the report's rejection, says 15 years is too long to wait, and the Agriculture Minister, Richard Amery, needs to act. ""We're hoping then that Richard Amery will push for the rejection of the report, recommending this no change be made till 2015 and that he push for a working party report which will in fact recommend a phase out,"" he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Mareeba is completely isolated with the highway cut to the south and north. The Barron River has reached 12.5 metres and heavy rain continues to fall. Darryl Camp from the Mareeba SES says he has never seen the river so high. He says the main water pumps to the town have failed, leaving residents without drinking supplies. ""The council is flat out trying to get water into the reservoirs and into the filtration system but everyone from Mareeba cannot use water until we advise them,"" he said. The Kuranda Range is closed. The Bruce Highway is cut to the south of Cairns and there is reports of a wash out on a section of the Gillies Highway, which provides access to the Atherton Tablelands. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Federal Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, says it is vital governments find solutions to the problems of regional areas such as Tasmania. The Shadow Ministry is meeting today in Launceston where it will discuss policies to address the needs of regional and rural Australia. M Beazley is expected to make a policy announcement on the issue later today. Mr Beazley says regional issues cannot be ignored. ""Regional Australia now includes an awful lot of people who you would regard as in suburban Australia because the problems in regional Australia are often the problems of suburban city dwellers as well,"" he said. 'This has got to be the focus of policy now and it is for us and we're developing it and starting here in Launceston."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" World champion Cathy Freeman has completed a successful trial-run for the Olympics, winning a second title in the National Athletics Championships at Stadium Australia yesterday. Freeman won the 200 metre final in 22.78 seconds, just 0.02 ahead of Melinda Gainsford Taylor. Darryl Wohlsen took advantage of the absence of Matt Shirvington and Patrick Johnson to win the mens 200 metre final. Tamsyn Lewis won the 800 metre final but missed the national record. Rohan Robinson and Lauren Poetschka won the 400 metre hurdles finals."

" The vice-president of the world athletics body says he is not concerned by strong winds that affected times of sprinters in the championships. Several athletes complained about the difficult conditions, with some predicting world records may not be broken at the Sydney Games because of the wind. But International Amateur Athletics Federation vice-president Depang Lou, who was at the championships, says weather conditions are part of the sport. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Meanwhile, Australia's Human Rights Commissioner says moves by his United Nations counterpart Mary Robinson to review mandatory sentencing laws will not get rid of them. Chris Sidoti says he is expecting Ms Robinson to add weight to the moral debate against the laws. But he says the UN is not a police force and it is incumbent on the Federal Government to overturn the laws. ""We have reached the end game and there is no alternative but intervention by the Federal Parliament,"" he said. ""The Federal Parliament has primary obligations under international law and under our Constitution in cases like this. ""Everyone is sick to death of trying to convince these recalcitrant governments that they simply have to get their law into line with what are the constitutional and moral requirements in Australia."""

" The Northern Territory's Labor Senator, Trish Crossin, says after the United Nations' intervention in East Timor, Australia cannot ignore any findings the UN makes on mandatory sentencing. Senator Crossin says the Federal Government has a responsibility to ensure all states and territories comply with conventions it has signed as a member of the international community. ""We sign up to international conventions, we accept the fact they should intervene in East Timor and we give that a big tick and if they hand down a decision that's a decision that someone like [Chief Minister] Denis Burke doesn't like in respect to his mandatory sentencing laws, this country will need to respond to it appropriately,"" she said. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The driver of the Cityrail train involved in the Glenbrook train crash says he was never told about delays experienced by the Indian Pacific train directly ahead of him. Kevin Sinnett told the Glenbrook inquiry the information would certainly have influenced the manner in which he drove his train before the December accident. The Glenbrook inquiry has tapes of conversations Mr Sinnett had with the city-based west control and the Penrith signaller. He was informed by west control that the Indian Pacific had reported a failed signal at Glenbrook Station. However, Mr Sinnett told the inquiry he was never told about how long the Indian was delayed at signal 41.6. Mr Sinnett knew the Indian Pacific left Lithgow 20 minutes ahead of him that morning, and says he was under the belief the train was still well in front of him. Mr Sinnett's barrister Peter Capelin QC asked him had he been told that the Indian Pacific had been delayed by 15 mintues, would that be a significant matter for him to have in mind, in relation to the running of his train. Mr Sinnett replied: ""Yes."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Australian Medical Association (AMA) has urged the Federal Government to lift public hospital spending and create new public health programs in this year's Budget. The AMA's budget submission calls for the annual increase in hospital funding to double from 4 per cent to 8 per cent, but does not recommend specific figures. The submission also asks for a review of the Medicare benefits schedule and extra spending on tobacco control, Aboriginal health and rural doctor training. AMA president David Brand says apart from the hospital funding request, the association's submission calls for only minor spending increases. ""These are very modest proposals - we're looking at $20 million a year on the bonded scholarship scheme, we're looking at $20 million a year on indigenous health,"" he said. ""The biggest ticket item really we're asking for is an extra $60 million a year on anti-smoking which is an an investment in human capital."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Floodwaters in the central western Queensland town of Longreach dropped slightly overnight, but further rises are not being ruled out. Towns downstream are bracing themselves. The latest information indicates the Thomson River had dropped from 5.62 metres to 5.60 metres overnight in Longreach, but police cannot say though if floodwaters have peaked because there is still a chance of another surge. Twenty-three homes have been evacuated, while a further 120 have water in their yards or lapping at their doorsteps. Longreach will not be the end of the flood crisis. But flood engineer Peter Baddiley says while more towns will be isolated, most homes will be spared. ""I suppose after Longreach we're looking at the Thomson River at Junda and Cooper Creek at Windorah during the early weeks of March, but generally [the water will be] right around the towns but not too much [will get] into the towns,"" he said. ******************************************************************"

" Russia has hit out at the UN for its focus on allegations that Russian troops are executing civilians in Chechnya. The Kremlin's attack has targeted UN Human Rights Commissioner Mary Robinson. Russia's Foreign Ministry denies that its forces committed atrocities against Chechen civilians or that there is any torture of prisoners at the Chernokozovo Detention Centre inside Chechnya. The UN Human Rights High Commissioner expressed particular concern about that prison and called for an urgent inquiry into the allegations that beatings there are routine and that men, as well as women, are raped there. The Kremlin has reiterated that under international law each nation is responsible for its own protection of human rights, and denies that any investigation carried out by a Russian agency would be insufficient. *******************************************************************"

" The Federal Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, has called on the Prime Minister to take on the banks over credit card interest rates. The Labor leader says the banks charge excessive interest on credit card interest. Mr Beazley has told Sydney Radio 2SM Mr Howard should call the banks in to talk to them about the issue. ""I would have thought at the least what the Prime Minister could do was to haul the banks in and say, 'what we've got is a situation where there's a GST coming in, we've got a situation where there's going to be substantial price rises around the place',"" he said. ""'There's pressure in debt on the ordinary consumer in this country, have a bit of care for your social responsbilities.'"" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Customs officers have detected more than 25,000 counterfeit Olympic items. Soccer balls, beer mugs, watches and rugs are among the items seized. Most of the goods on display at a news conference this morning are clearly fake. One T-shirt has Sydney 2000 on it, but Sydney is spelt with an 'i.' Other products have tags claiming the goods are official Olympic merchandise. The counterfeit items are from a range of countries including China, the United States, and Thailand. Customs officials say the seizures have been over the last year, and in recent months they have made discoveries at a rate of once a week, or fortnightly. The Customs Minister Amanda Vanstone says it is likely the number of fake Olympic goods seized will increase in the lead-up to the Games. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Northern Territory Opposition has called on the Chief Minister, Denis Burke, to resign as Attorney-General over comments the justice system is totally corrupt. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Brian Martin, is expected to announce this morning whether he will disqualify himself from a case in light of Mr Burke's comments. Mr Burke sent a statement to the court yesterday apologising unreservedly for using the word corrupt and he says what he meant is there is a lack of public faith in the system. But the Labor leader, Clare Martin, says Mr Burke is out of his depth. ""I think this is probably the first time in Australia that this has ever happened,"" she said. ""It's the most extraordinary thing, where you've got a chief justice saying 'I think I'll have to disqualify myself because our first law officer has questioned the credibility and integrity and the impartiality of our courts'. ""Denis Burke simply should resign as Attorney-General."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" The introduction of safe injecting rooms, or shooting galleries, in Australia and a number of other countries has come under attack by United Nations drugs experts. The annual report on worldwide drug abuse by the UN international narcotics control board (INCB) has accused some governments of helping the Illicit drug trade by establishing and operating the injecting rooms. The board says the move is another step towards the legalisation of the non-medical use of drugs. The report singles out Australia, Germany, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Spain as the countries of most concern. In a statement, the INCB said it should be recalled that many decades ago, drugs conventions were established precisely to eliminate such places as opium dens where drugs could be abused with impunity. Instead of shooting galleries, the board encourages government to provide a wide range of treatment facilities in line with sound medical practice and international drug control conventions. The UN's criticism has not deterred the New South Wales Government. The Special Minister of State, John Della Bosca, says the government remains committed to going ahead with setting up a trial of safe injecting rooms. Mr Della Bosca says the government is confident the initiative does not breach any international drug treaty to which Australia is a signatory. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Australian commander of the multi-national force in East Timor, Major General Peter Cosgrove, has left the territory. General Cosgrove departed Dili Harbor aboard the Australian troop carrier HMAS Jervis Bay. Black Hawk helicopters flew a salute overhead as Australian troops lined the docks waving farewell. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition says it will extensively review the job network scheme if it gains power. The Opposition has raised concerns the current system and Government policy are not addressing the need to improve skills training into the next decade. Labor's Workforce 2010 report released today forecasts unemployment will stay around 8 per cent over the next 10 years, unless the training issue is improved. The shadow employment and training minister, Cheryl Kernot, says the deregulated job network market is not addressing longer term problems. ""The very long term unemployed, those who require the most intensive assistance are slipping through exactly as was predicted because they take more work,"" she said. ""They take greater investment and some job agencies are taking the money, taking the easy cases and moving on, so we need to have a thorough review."""

" The Australian company at the centre of a European controversy about the granting of a patent which could involve human cloning says it has no interest in that field. The European Patent Office says it made a mistake in granting a patent to Edinburgh University for a process of altering stem-cells that could include the cloning of humans. The Australian company holding the licence and an Australian patent says it is not interested in cloning. The chief scientist of Stem Cells Sciences, Peter Mountford, says the patent is for isolating particular cells from a mass of stem cells. Stem cells are so young they can become anything, so they are potentially the basis for growing organs, or ultimately a human. But Dr Mountford says that is not the plan. ""There was an interpretation that could be read as a method for genetically engineering humans, it's in no respect our intention or our plan to proceed with any of that sort of technology or patenting,"" he said. ""We're just not interested in that field at all."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australian republicans are hoping to capitalise on the Queen's visit next month. The Queen and Prince Philip will visit Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Hobart and Perth, as well as a host of regional and outback towns. The Australian Republican Movement (ARM) says the Queen is welcome in Australia and it will not be seeking to disrupt her visit. But ARM campaigner Greg Barnes says the visit serves as a reminder of the need for an Australian head of state. ""The point that we would make is simply that our head of state does live 12,000 miles away, she comes here very rarely,"" he said. ""I think this is her first visit here since 1992 and it does bring home to Australians that we do have a head of state that lives in the UK and essentially represents Britain's interests."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Cool and cloudy conditions have been forecast for Dunedin today for the third one-day cricket match between Australia and New Zealand. Australia is chasing a record-equalling 12th match undefeated and opener Mark Waugh says the side will be doing nothing differently. ""I think this will be like any other game we've played this summer, we'll be going in there with a positive attitude, to try and enjoy the game, and obviously trying to win the game,"" he said. ""That's the way we've been playing all year, so [there is] no need to change it now."" Australia will take a reinforced pace attack into the match, with Shane Lee replaced by Damien Fleming. And Fleming says the wicket should suit the pacemen. ""I was talking to the curator, he said there should be little bit of pace and bounce,"" he said. ""It's a pretty good batting wicket, but if there's pace and bounce and you put it in the right areas, you're always a chance as a quick bowler. ""And if there's a little bit of swing there that helps too, so ... there should be a bit more bounce than there was in Auckland."""

" The United Nations secretary general, Kofi Annan, says he is sure Australia is aware of the implications of mandatory sentencing laws on it international treaty obligations. Mr Annan has been questioned on his views on mandatory sentencing, during a speech to the National Press Club in Canberra. He says the laws are a domestic issue, which he does not intend to be drawn into. ""It is a matter that could be of concern for the United Nations, only to the extent that it may pertain to international conventions in the field of human rights or rights of children, to which Australia is a party,"" he said. ""I'm sure Australia is conscious of its commitments in this regard and since the Government is dealing with it, I don't think I should be drawn into this."" But Mr Annan took a diplomatic swipe at the Federal Opposition for revealing the details of a private meeting. Kofi Annan yesterday met the Opposition leader Kim Beazley and Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister Laurie Brereton, where the pair raised the issue of mandatory sentencing laws. Mr Beazley later told reporters the secretary general had indicated he would refer the matter to the UN Human Rights Commission. Mr Annan has refused to elaborate, saying he does not discuss private conversations. ""I was surprised to read something about that in the press,"" he said. ""I did have a private conversation with the leader of the Opposition and I usually don't discuss my private conversations. ""And if you don't mind I won't do it this time."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Australian swimmer Ian Thorpe says he is delighted swimming's governing body, FINA, has ratified the world record he set at the short course world cup event in Berlin. The world record was in doubt after Thorpe raised concerns about the drug testing procedures at the Berlin event and an investigation was launched. FINA secretary general Gunnar Werner says the investigation should be completed this week but says the records set by Thorpe and American Lenny Krayzelburg have been ratified. Thorpe is currently battling illness but said through a spokesman he was relieved FINA had given him the all-clear. ____________________________________________________________________"

" A kicking charge against Melbourne vice-captain, David Schwarz, has been dropped. The report was withdrawn after umpire, Gavin Dore, reviewed video of the incident. Meanwhile, David Neitz has been appointed captain of the Demons for the 2000 season. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Western countries have been quick to welcome the landslide victory by reformers in Iran's parliamentary elections. Supporters of moderate President Mohammed Khatami have won control of the Assembly for the first time since 1979. Although final results are not yet in, the reformers led by the President's brother, Mohammed Reza Khatami, look like winning with at least 80 per cent of the vote. The conservatives, who have opposed the easing of Iran's strict Islamic rule, have failed to win even a single seat in even some of their traditional regionial strongholds. In Teheran, reformers have so far had a clean sweep, dashing the hopes of former president Hashami Rafsanjani who had lined up with the conservatives. The United States, Britain, Germany and other European nations have welcomed what they see as an important step that Iranians want to restore relations with the west. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" At least six people have been killed and three others injured by avalanches that hit ski-slopes in Italy, Austria and Switzerland after mild weather and snowfalls loosened snow caps in the Alps. Deadly avalanches struck both the Alto Adige Mountains in northern Italy and a ski trail in the Swiss resort of Davos, while a 15-year-old German boy was reported missing after a snowslide in the Austrian Tyrol. Three women died and another two people were hurt, one seriously, in the Italian disaster, when they were caught by a 150-metre wide snowslide in the Val di Mazia region near the Austrian border, rescue officials said. The victims were identified as Germans Christine Elisabeth Steinbacher, 41, and Simone Gramalla, 37, and Italian Lieselotte Wenter, 63. Another German, Joachim Haase, 62, was in Trente Hospital in a serious condition. The identity of the other injured survivor was not revealed. Two guides leading the group raised the alarm after the avalanche struck at an altitude of 2,800 metres, rescue officials said. In the wealthy Swiss ski resort of Davos, two Swiss nationals and a German died after an avalanche cascaded down a slope one kilometre from the town, police said. A German skier and his son, who were skiiing at an altitude of 2,600 metres, may have triggered the slide, police said. One of them was later found slightly injured by the dozens of rescuers and specially trained dogs who took part in the rescue operation and was airlifted to a Davos hospital. Swiss police did not reveal the identities of those recovered, although by nightfall they called off the search effort believing everyone was accounted for. Austrian avalanche experts warned that the risk of further snowslides remained high. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition leader, Kim Beazley, is maintaining his refusal to rule out income tax rises if Labor wins office, saying it would be irresponsible to do so. However, he has sought to play down the issue. The Government, which is fighting it own battles over tax, has leaped on Mr Beazley's refusal to rule out tax rises to fund a roll back of the goods and services tax (GST) and funding guarantees to the states. The Prime Minister has dubbed Mr Beazley a big dark cloud hanging over personal income tax cuts to be delivered in July. But Mr Beazley says it would be irresponsible to be making promises when the election is at least two Budgets away. ""I will not be bullied into a silly position,"" he said. However, he says Labor is about relieving, not increasing the burden on families, and it will keep the attitude which saw it give seven incomes tax cuts not rises while in government. Mr Beazley is not saying where the GST would be rolled back, but has kept open the option of phasing the roll back over several Budgets."

" Queensland's freehold tree-clearing laws will be changed to apply to only a fraction of the State, following the Premier's failure to secure a compensation package from the Commonwealth. The Prime Minister today refused Queensland's request for $103 million in compensation, offering instead to set up a taskforce. Peter Beattie says instead of applying to more than 3 million hectares of land, the laws will only cover a few hundred thousand hectares harbouring endangered species because Queensland cannot afford the $103 million compensation bill. ""We will proclaim that area of endangered species, it would be irresponsible of us not to do so, every other state in Australia has done so,"" he said. Opposition leader Rob Borbidge says Mr Beattie's decision to discriminate against a small percentage of land-owners will only cause further anger in the bush. ""It is a mess. He's failed miserably in terms of his dealings with the Commonwealth and in terms of his dealings with landholders. The issue now has to go back to Cabinet,"" he said. Imogen Zethoven, from the Queensland Conservation Council, says the Commonwealth's refusal to pay compensation is a tragedy for the environment. ""The result of the decision by the Prime Minister will drive many species to extinction, if it is not changed,"" she said. ""It will also lead to worsening salinity problems, it will probably make the year when water becomes undrinkable in Adelaide much closer than it otherwise would've been. ""It'll be very bad news for farmers downstream in South Australia and New South Wales. ""It'll lead to higher levels of greenhouse emissions which will put more pressure on other industries to lift their game."""

" The coroner investigating the deaths of two women in far north Queensland has found that one of the women caused all of the injuries to the other. The findings of a second inquest into the deaths of Vicki Arnold and Julie-Anne Leahy have been handed down by coroner Gary Casey. Mrs Leahy was found to have been shot, bashed, stabbed and strangled - the original inquest determining she was murdered by Ms Arnold before she killed herself. The coroner today said that the injuries were caused by Ms Arnold and has ruled out any involvement by Mrs Leahy's husband. But Mr Casey said it was outside his jurisdiction to say it was a murder-suicide. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Northern Territory Chief Minister says the Country Liberal Party's (CLP) central council has unanimously endorsed mandatory sentencing during a weekend meeting. Denis Burke says the party is not conducting any polling on the issue, but believes it still has the support of most voters. ""[There was an] overwhelming vote in favour at the CLP central council meeting,"" he said. ""I believe there is overwhelming support in the Northern Territory because Territorians understand the issues and understand why the sentencing regime has been brought in,"" he said. ""I believe there's majority or more support Australia-wide, that's being backed up by National Nine News' polls being conducted at the moment because essentially the chattering class are out of touch with the problems of average Australia."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Federal Opposition says Labor is not planning any increase in taxes through its plans to wind back the goods and services tax (GST). Opposition leader Kim Beazley has promised to protect GST revenue to the states even if the GST is rolled back in many areas. The Democrats say Labor's plan will cost billions of dollars in revenue and Treasurer Peter Costello says Labor will have to raise income taxes or run the budget into deficit to fund its promise. But Shadow Treasurer Simon Crean says Labor's plan is affordable. ""Rollback is a tax cut, what Labor's proposing is a tax cut not a tax increase, the question of how we do it we'll announce at the time, we're not going to be doing it in a piecemeal way and whatever we announce will be fiscally responsible,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Opponents of mandatory sentencing are hoping the issue will be raised when the Prime Minister meets UN secretary general Kofi Annan in Canberra today. Mr Annan is in Canberra for two days and will also meet Opposition leader Kim Beazley. Australia's commitment in East Timor is expected to dominate talks, with Australia to urge the UN to pull out at least a year ahead of schedule. However, Australian Democrats leader Meg Lees says it is important the issue of mandatory sentencing is raised. ""Australia until very recently had prided itself on its record on human rights,"" she said. ""We had been only too happy to be part of the United Nations and to uphold all of those conventions that we've signed on to and I think it's very important that those issues are now discussed and that this government thinks again about its attitude to mandatory sentencing."" --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A search by the multinational force in Kosovo for weapons stored in the divided town of Kosovska Mitrovica has sparked a furious reaction from the town's Serb community. The north of the town is majority Serb while the south is majority ethnic Albanian, and there have been 10 deaths recently in communal violence. Serbs hurled stones and snowballs at US peacekeeping troops after they took part in a search of the Serb area that uncovered rifles, a machine-gun, ammunition and explosive devices. Earlier, Lieutenant Commander Philip Anido, from the international Kosovo force, said the soldiers were looking for evidnce of criminal activity linked to recent violence in the town. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Buckingham Palace has confirmed a cook in the royal household was sacked after allegedly telling colleagues that she could easily poison the Queen. Monica Traub, 46, who was employed as a trainee chef at the royal family's Sandringham Estate, allegedly told colleagues that she had the opportunity to poison the Queen's food without being detected. British newspapers claim her comments were reported to the head of the royal household when she later allegedly asked where she could get hold of a quantity of cyanide. Ms Traub was immediately dismissed. The sacked woman told a tabloid newspaper that she did not know what cyanide was or what it looked like. However, she did say she remembered having a conversation with another cook about how easy it would be to interfere with food for the royal table. Ms Traub said she could not believe she had been sacked for that."

" Premier Peter Beattie says a pilot program similar to boot camps underway in Queensland is a viable alternative to mandatory sentencing. A $3 million joint state and federally-funded trial at Warwick on the Darling Downs has 22 volunteer boys attending a wilderness camp, a project that if successful could be extended to other states. Mr Beattie does not support mandatory sentencing in place in Western Australia and the Northern Territory, saying it fails to deal with the causes of youth crime. ""The point about mandatory sentencing is this: it's after the event,"" he said. ""What we have to do is stop the crime happening in the first place, we have to be tough on the causes of crime, that's what this is about. ""There's no point trying to close the gate after the horse has bolted, I mean the truth is once people get into the criminal justice system it's very hard to get them out."" Mr Beattie says the trial is part of the government's wider strategy to be tough on the causes of crime. ""The evidence suggests early intervention is the most significant way of stopping people committing crimes and that's what these are about,"" he said. ""So if these programs work, that's positive parenting, the drug courts, in particular this pilot program, then there won't need to be an issue of mandatory sentencing, which I don't support."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australian Olympic athletes who are to compete on the first and second days of competition at the Sydney games are being urged to not participate in the opening ceremony, in the interest of optimum performance. The Australian team's medical director, Brian Sando, says some athletes could tire-out their postural muscles from standing for long periods. However, advice from the team's head of psychology services suggests that some athletes gain an emotional and physical lift from the event. Mr Sando says team managers should discuss the issue with athletes as soon as possible. ""Standing for long periods is something that athletes are very unaccustomed to in the main, and so we're concerned about the stress and fatigue factor that this muscle loading will provide,"" he said. ""So that if you're going to be competing in the next couple of days, a bit of muscle stiffness and that excess fatigue is likely to make it just a bit more difficult for your performance at your optimum."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" However, in Africa, Senegal, until now considered one of west Africa's more stable nations, is showing signs of unrest ahead of presidential elections. The main opposition leader has told his followers to rise up if the results of the elections are not what the people want. And he said the army should be ready to take over. Senegal is one of the few African countries to have never had a coup d'etat. Violence erupted earlier this week, though, in Senegal's second city, St Louis, during which the ruling party's headquarters were burnt down. The opposition distrusts the way the elections have been organised, headed as they were by a close friend of President Abdou Diouf, with massive discrepancies reported in the electoral lists. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A retired Air Marshall has endorsed yesterday's attack on the Defence Department by its new secretary Allan Hawke. Dr Hawke savaged his department, saying it lacked credibility, had senior management problems and was facing serious financial shortfalls. A parliamentary committee examining the Australian Army's role in peacekeeping and war has raised the issue at a hearing in Canberra. Retired Air Marshall David Evans told the committee there was a time when the department knocked back all requests for new equipment. ""In fact, they used to say `but you can't have that, that's enhancing the defence force, the policy is to maintain the defence force',"" he said. ""They saw no reason why we should have things like an F-111 with a range to get to Indonesia because it might be seen badly by the Indonesians as threatening them."" __________________________________________________________________"

" A senior bureaucrat has been forced to defend a manual with advice for public service managers on negotiation tactics, after claims the suggestions are unethical. The handbook compiled by an agency in the Workplace Relations department, outlines methods from bluffing to stalling and diverting attention from the real goal. Labor Senator John Faulkner revealed the contents of the manual in a senate committee hearing today, claiming the advice promotes practices which are not ethical. Workplace Relations Department Secretary Peter Shergold admits the advice may be out of kilter with guidelines for senior public servants. ""Yes, but I think it would be wrong to presume that the other side may not employ such tactics,"" Mr Shergold said. ""We are not promoting the use of those tactics, what we are saying is in a negotiation situation you will see on occassions all sorts of tactics employed in order for you to negotiate successfully you should be aware of this."" __________________________________________________________________"

" International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Juan Antonio Samaranch has tried to ease any political divisions over criticisms of Sydney's marketing of the Olympic Games. Mr Samaranch has trod a diplomatic path during his final news conference in Sydney. IOC vice-president Dick Pound set the hares running yesterday when he was critical of SOCOG's marketing. He claims sponsors were upset and that Sydney organisers were not trumpeting the success achieved so far in selling the Games. Mr Samaranch tried to take the heat out of the conflict by arguing Mr Pound and Michael Knight were both right. He says the marketing has to be the best and therefore he backed his vice-president. But he also straddled the fence saying Michael Knight had a job to do and that was protecting the taxpayer. __________________________________________________________________"

" Hungary's ambassador to Canberra will register his protest at the recent cyanide spill in Romania in talks today with the Federal Government. Ambassador Istvan Gyurk will meet Environment Minister Robert Hill to discuss Australia's response to the crisis. Dr Gyurk has attacked the Australian mining company, Esmeralda Exploration, for what he describes as cynical and primitive comments to downplay the severity of the contamination. He says the Hungarian Government plans to sue the company but the Australian Government also has a moral responsibility to act. ""It is the biggest catastrophe of the past 20 years in Hungary so we have to discuss this with the Minister of Environment, because it is an environmental catastrophe and an Australian company is seriously involved in it,"" he said. Romania has now acknowledged that the cyanide spill at the mine was significant. The admission comes as calls grow for the company to be held responsible for the damage. For more than two weeks the Roamnian Government has been relucant to acknowledge the magnitude of the spill from the Aural gold mine. The spill that occurred on January 30 is thought responsible for the widescale cyanide poisoning of river systems downstream in neighbouring Hungary and Serbia. But the poison has now re-entered Romania via the Danube and the Romanian Environment Minister now describes it as an unfortunate accident. ""We didn't ever want to hide or play down the magnitude of the accident,"" he said, during a visit to Solnok, one of the worst affected towns in Hungary. The European Union's (EU) Environment Minister Margot Walstrom, who was also visiting Solnok, suggested the company may be ultimately held responsible. She has promised to start work on a plan to prevent such catastrophes ever happening again. Margot Wallstrom says the EU has to learn lessons from the incident, and has to cover gaps in legislation. Ms Wallstrom is the first high-ranking EU official to tour the scene of what's been called the worst ecological disaster to hit Eastern Europe since the Chernobyl nuclear accident in 1986. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Authorities will continue to monitor closely a toxic algal bloom affecting the Swan and Canning rivers in Perth. The Canning River and a section the Swan River were reopned to the public yesterday, but waters downstream of the Garratt Road Bridge remain closed to all but larger vessels. Health Minister John Day says most people heeded the warnings, but there were still up to 20 reported cases of illness due to exposure to the bloom. Darryl Miller from the Swan River Trust says it is unknown how long it will be before all parts of the Swan River are considered safe. ""We're monitoring the algae daily and we'll continue to do that throughout the life of the bloom to make sure the public has current information,"" he said. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The co-driver of the Indian Pacific train involved in a fatal collision last year says he did not think about the train following behind, after his train was delayed. David Willoughby was giving evidence at the Glenbrook Rail Accident Inquiry in Sydney. Mr Willoughby has already given evidence that on the morning of the accident his train was about five minutes late leaving Glenbrook Station because of a red stop signal. In line with procedure, the train moved slowly through the next section. He said today the journey through Glenbrook normally took about three minutes, but took 15 minutes that day because of the signal delays. Mr Willoughby was asked if, because of those delays, he turned his mind to the Cityrail train which normally follows the Indian Pacific. ""It didn't enter my mind at the time, no,"" he said. He said he understood his train would normally be protected by two red signals behind him. Meanwhile, the inquiry has taken an early adjournment, after the counsel representing the rail union, raised concerns about a possible conflict of interest. Harry Bauer told the inquiry he may have a conflict in representing several of the train drivers involved and the signallers who provided advice about proceeding through stop signals. Acting Justice Peter McInerney took an early lunch adjournment for Mr Bauer to take advice on the matter. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Perth-based gold mining company being blamed for massive environmental damage from a cyanide spill in central Europe says independent tests should be completed by the end of next week. Esmeralda Expoloration says three environmental specialists from Victoria are already in Romania and another is on the way. Esmeralda spokesman Chris Codrington says the company has sent the team to Romania because the reports of damage defy scientific logic. ""They've gone there to get to...the truth of the matter and they will study the chemistry and the hydrology and get to the truth,"" he said. ""Quite clearly there has been damage and our hearts go out to those who have suffered, but that's drawing a very long bow to suggest that the extent of that damage is directly linked to the dam overflow."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Environmentalists in Yugoslavia have warned that cyanide from a spill at a Romanian gold mine could soon poison crops and livestock. More than two weeks after the cyanide spilled from a tailings dam at a goldmine upstream in Romania, countries downstream are still reporting dead fish and plankton in the Tisza River and in the Danube. The mine, co-owned by Australian company Esmeralda Explorations, has denied any link between the spill and the pollution so far downstream, but Hungarian and Yugoslav officials say the cause of the disaster is cyanide. Ecologists in Yugoslavia are now warning that the poison may spread through the food chain in water used for irrigation and through contaminated groundwater. The cyanide was expected to dilute to safe levels when it hit the Danube - one of Europe's biggest rivers, but it is still said to be present at four times higher than levels accepted by the European Union. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The World Bank says there is no evidence its funds were misused by Indonesia as it fought to retain control of East Timor. SBS television has aired a report alleging $12 million, earmarked for welfare and development, was channelled by Jakarta from the World Bank to militia groups in East Timor. However, the World Bank has rejected the allegations. In a statement, the bank says documents alleging misuse of funds by the World Bank have been shown to be false. The bank says its acknowledges it must be concerned about how the government of Indonesia spends its money, and says it needs to work with Jakarta to improve accountability programs. The statement concludes by saying the bank is ready to review any new evidence that would show money has been misused in East Timor. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The board of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) will today finalise which divisions will be most affected by $36 million in spending cuts. Areas likely to be untouched include ceremonies, sport and the arts festivals. There is a sense of nervousness and dread in parts of the committee about the exact nature of the cuts. With an overall budget of $2.35 billion, this latest round of downsizing still leaves SOCOG with a large budget to do its job. However Shadow Olympics Minister Chris Hartcher who is also a committee director, remains confident about the outcome. ""The Olympic Games are going to be the world's best there's no doubt about that,"" he said. ""The cuts are clearly going to affect it at the edges, they probaly won't be as wonderful as we would have wanted. ""Clearly they will have an impact, but at the end of the day Sydney is still going to deliver to the people of Sydney and the world the greatest Olympic Games the world has ever seen."" Full details of the cuts will be outlined this afternoon and are expected to be approved by the International Olympic Committee's board tomorrow. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Australian golfer Karrie Webb says putting will decide the winner of the Australian Women's Open, starting today at Melbourne's Yarra Yarra course. Webb says the hot and dry conditions make it possible to reach the par-five greens in two shots. She says it will bring into contention those less powerful. ""If the greens are hard to putt as it is and if they get a little faster and we have a little bit of wind, even though you'll be hitting short irons into the greens, you're still going to have to make the putts, and people are going to make the putts, but I think the players that aren't putting well aren't going to be at the top, "" she said. ____________________________________________________________________"

" And tourism industry representatives say a small rise in the number of Australians travelling overseas last year, is good news for the domestic tourism market. The Bureau of Statistics has released figures showing 2.9 million Australians went overseas in 1999, representing a slowdown in growth since 1998. This figure is in addition to the record 4.5 million international arrivals last year. Phil Young, from the Tourism Council, says the combined benefits of rapidly increasing arrivals and a slower increase in departures, is a healthy sign for domestic tourism. ""The domestic tourism industry, I think, is very energised at the moment,"" he said. ""The order books are looking strong. We've got the Olympics coming which will be a fantastic opportunity to showcase Australia. ""In addition to it being good news for the tourism industry, I think it's great for Australians to know more about their own country."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Soaring world oil prices have eaten into Ansett's latest profits. Improved revenues and passenger numbers have been eroded by higher fuel costs. The formerly cash-strapped airline saw its net profit rise 17 per cent, in the six months to December, to $72 million, but the higher fuel and foreign exchange charges led to a big drop in operating profit. The international arm moved into the black, thanks to better performances on the Japan and Hong Kong routes, offset by a downturn on the Bali route during the East Timor crisis. Ansett's executive chairman, Rod Eddington, says the uncertainty of the global economy and fluctuations in the oil price and currency will continue to pose a challenge. Meanwhile, Ansett's half-owner, Air New Zealand says it is confident a deal to buy the other 50 per cent will be sealed with News Corporation within days. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Irish Republican Army (IRA) is pulling out of negotiations with the independent body charged with disarming paramilitary groups in Northern Ireland. The decision is a serious blow to the peace process. In a statement, the IRA makes clear its anger at last week's decision by the British Government to suspend Northern Ireland's power-sharing administration - which included representatives of the IRA's political wing Sinn Fein. It also expresses anger that a last minute proposal it made to the independent disarmament body did not halt the reimposition of direct rule from London. The IRA says in the light of changed circumstances it has decided to end contacts with the disarmament body, which is headed by Canadian General John de Chastelain. Significantly though, the statement does not indicate that the IRA's two-and-a-half-year old ceasefire is at an end. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Romanian Government is refusing to pay compensation to its neighbours for the cyanide spill at a mine co-owned by an Australian company. At the same time, Hungary is intending to sue the company for damages through Australian courts. The Romanian government had initially played down the effects of the cyanide spill at the Aural gold mine, but with compensation demands flowing in from neighbouring Hungary and Yugoslavia, Romania now says it has suffered more than anyone else and is equally entitled to any restitution. In Budapest, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told a press conference that Hungary expects to launch several legal actions against Aural gold in both international and Australian courts and was considering taking action against Romania as well. Mr Orban said preliminary studes showed at least 20 protected species had been killed in the Tisza River and that it would take 10 to 15 years for the river to recover. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Glenbrook rail accident inquiry in Sydney has called its first witness. Ian Hook was the driver of an Intercity train that preceded the one that collided with an Indian Pacific train just south of Glenbrook last December. Counsel assisting the inquiry Christopher Barry QC is calling witnesses in chronological order, in line with the sequence of events on December 2. Ian Hook has told the inquiry he did not encounter any signal failures on his journey between Mt Victoria and Blacktown earlier that morning. He has also told the inquiry the speed limit at the cutting where the collision occurred was 65 kilometres an hour. Mr Hook says if a train needed to stop suddenly, it would need about 100 metres of track in order to do so. The inquiry has also seen video evidence of the train wreckage and the section of track between Glenbrook and the collision site. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Prime Minister has denied he favoured a deed of arrangement to secure workers entitlements at the National Textiles factory in the Hunter Valley because it protected his brother. The Opposition leader Kim Beazley has asked Mr Howard in Parliament whether he was advised by his brother and National Textiles director Stan Howard to support a deed of arrangement. Mr Beazley says a deed of arrangement prevents a liquidator pursuing directors for debts. Mr Howard says he opted for a deed of arrangement as the quickest and most effective way to secure workers' full entitlements. ""It was not designed to protect my brother, it was not designed to protect any of the other directors,"" he said. ""I would remind the house that the Australian Securities and Investment Commission has very wide powers of investigation, including the imposition of civil penalties, including the recovery of compensation, including criminal prosecutions."""

" The Prime Minister will face more heat today over his support for National Textiles workers, when Parliament resumes for the year. The first sitting day coincides with a big drop in the polls for the Coalition. Labor plans to make full use of question time to drive home its criticism of the special treatment given to retrenched textile workers. It wants the government's new entitlements scheme backdated to cover other workers denied their redundancy payouts and may try to amend the relevant legislation. Also today, the government could face the prospect of new demands on the goods and services tax (GST), with the Democrats expected to reveal whether they will push for an exemption on tampons or other health products. The government is starting the parliamentary year on a bad footing, with new polls showing Labor six points ahead of the Coalition. The Opposition will today give notice of its plan to push for a Senate inquiry into the proposed commercial deal between the ABC and Telstra. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Indonesia's powerful military has pledged its backing of the country's President Abdurrahman Wahid after the sacking of former military chief and key Cabinet Minister General Wiranto. The General lost a long running stand-off with his President after being named in a human rights report as morally responsible for atrocities committed in East Timor last year. Yesterday, the President suspended General Wiranto from his powerful Cabinet position, pending the outcome of an Attorney-General's investigation based on the human rights report. The General could be named as a suspect and stand trial. But rather than defend General Wiranto, who was military commander before and after last year's independence referendum in East Timor, the leaders of Indonesia's armed forces have pledged their support for President Wahid, saying he removed General Wiranto in the national interest. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" As the Stuart Highway in the Northern Territory remains closed due to flooding, police say tourists are still travelling north despite warnings the area is inaccessible. Most of the traffic is banked up at Marla, in South Australia's far north, and is fast becoming a headache for police. The Regional Commander for South Australia's Far North Local Service Area, Kym Boxall, says significant numbers of tourists and truck drivers are not listening to warnings. The Stuart Highway has been cut since Friday and three people remain flood-bound in an area just south of the Northern Territory border. Superintendent Boxall says the increasing numbers of motorists stranded in the area is continuing to strain the resources of nearby towns. ""The problems we're facing in Marla as a result of that are not as a result of any of the weather conditions,"" he said. ""At the moment it's the fact that people are still travelling north in an expectation to be able to get through. Coober Pedy again likewise, no problems there except a build up of tourist traffic."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" New timber plantations are to be set up around New South Wales in a deal designed by Japan's biggest power company to gain greenhouse gas credits. Contracts have been signed with the TEPCO Forests company, a newly formed Australian subsidiary of Tokyo's Power Company, for up to 40,000 hectares of forests in NSW. The first plantings of soft and hardwoods will start soon on the north and south coasts. The Tokyo company will use the forests as a trade off when it is required to cut its net emissions of greenhouse gases. State forests will manage the forests and its manager of investment services Tony O'Hara says they will boost local economies as well as the environment. ""Certainly some dollars are coming into the sector because we'll be using dominantly contract personnel to establish the plantations,"" he said. ""There'll also be some revenue for farmers who lease us their land for the plantations. [It's] a pretty exciting first step, it's the first contract we've got of this kind and we're hoping that there'll be quite a few more."""

" Retail chain Woolworths is celebrating a sharp increase in half-year profits. For the six-months to the beginning of January, the company has reported a profit after tax and abnormal items of $216.5 million. That is up almost 22 per cent on the previous corresponding period. It has been achieved on revenue growth of more than 9 per cent and Woolworths says sales have since continued their strong trend through January and into the first week of February. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Prime Minister John Howard is under growing pressure to intervene in the row over mandatory sentencing. Coalition MPs will discuss the issue at a party room meeting when Parliament resumes tomorrow. New South Wales Liberal backbencher Danna Vale says many in the party believe the mandatory sentencing laws in the Northern Territory and Western Australia are unjust. ""I think there's considerable support there,"" she said. ""I think on an individual basis there are other liberal members who have a real problem in-principle with mandatory sentencing and I must say it is the principle of mandatory sentencing that I have real concerns with because it does not allow the judges to exercise any discretion whatsoever. ""My goodness...why do we have judges if we don't want them to exercise any discretion?"" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Afghanistan's Taliban Foreign Minister has urged Britain not to grant political asylum to any of the passengers freed from the hijacked Afghan plane. Of the 160 passengers on board the Ariana 727 that was hijacked and flown to Britain, only 17 say they want to return to Afghanistan. According to the British Foreign Ministry, those passengers are expected to fly back to Afghanistan later today. The Taliban militia says granting asylum will only encourage hijackings. Taliban Foreign Minister Wakil Ahmad Mutawakel told reporters in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar that the freed hostages returned to Afghanistan would discourage terrorism. He said a distinction should be made between political and economic asylum seekers, and that Britain risks encouraging Afghans to leave the war torn country. Afghanistan has been plagued by 20 years of fighting and Afghan's make up the world's single largest refugee population. More than two million Afghans are taking shelter in neighbouring Pakistan and Iran alone. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The man who penned one of the world's most popular comic strips is dead. Charles Schulz, the creator of Peanuts, died in his sleep at his home in California. The Peanuts comic strip first appeared in October 1950 and eventually ran in 2,500 newspapers, reaching millions of readers in 75 countries. Charles Schulz's last Peanuts appears in newspapers today, showing Snoopy at his typewriter and a dear friends letter thanking readers for their support. Mr Schulz wrote: ""Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Linus, Lucy...how can I ever forget them"". It ended with his signature. Mr Schulz was suffering from colon cancer. He was 77. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The senior Taliban representative in Europe has confirmed that those responsible for the hijacking of an Afghan airliner to Britain will be executed if they return to Kabul. General Rahmatullah Safi says those involved must be punished, either in a British or an Afghan court. He says there is no question of the Taliban asking for the extradition of the hijackers. Prime Minister Tony Blair says a clear signal must be sent that hijacking is not the way to obtain asylum in Britain. At least 60 passengers on the plane have applied for political asylum but the Home Secretary wants to send them home. Opposition leader William Hague agrees: ""We must not allow this country to reinforce its growing image as a soft touch for asylum seekers."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Protestant leader of Northern Ireland's power-sharing government insists the coalition is not facing a terminal crisis, even though it could be suspended this weekend. Ulster Unionist Party leader David Trimble has made the comment after talks in Dublin with Ireland's Prime Minister, Bertie Ahern. The British Parliament has passed legislation to take back direct rule of the province, setting a deadline for tomorrow for the IRA to make a commitment to disarm. But Mr Trimble says he is still hopeful of a last-minute statement by the IRA that will save the peace process. ""It is still possible that things could develop positively so that there's quite a different aspect to things on Saturday morning. It might not be of terriby great hope in view of the time available,"" he said. Mr Ahern says he is reluctant to see suspension, but admits it could be the only option available. ""If we can find resolutions now, great. If not, we'll just have to keep at it and we'll keep on working together,"" he said. However, Sinn Fein Assemblyman Conor Murphy says the British are unfairly blaming the current crisis exclusively on the IRA. He says the IRA is not the only paramilitary group or military organisation with arms in northern Ireland. ""The British Government were one of the parties who negotiated the Good Friday Agreement, they have obligations to demilitarise. So far there's been no movement on this important issue,"" he said. ""In some cases, the British Army installations have been refortified. This is completely unacceptable and runs contrary to the Good Friday agreement."" According to an Irish Government source, Trimble and Ahern's talks centred on a possible plan to see Britain dismantling military bases in South Armagh, a republican bastion in Northern Ireland, in return for tangible progress from the IRA on disarmament. The British Government would also make commitments on troop reductions. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Victorian Premier Steve Bracks will seek an urgent explanation about revelations excess power in Victoria was sold to New South Wales during the restrictions. The ABC's 7:30 Report has revealed the National Electricity Marketing Management Company (NEMMCO) sold Victorian power to New South Wales while Victorians were asked to turn off air conditioners and non-essential appliances, despite heatwave conditions. NEMMCO spokesman Steven van der Mye says the bans meant supply exceeded demand in Victoria. ""The level of demand in Victoria drops dramatically, so within Victoria there is enough capacity to meet the demand,"" he said. But Mr Bracks is angry and says NEMMCO did not tell the government about the transfer. ""I think that's unacceptable. It's something clearly I'll take up with my department and with the regulator,"" he said. The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union and the Victorian Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry say Victorians should be outraged. *******************************************************************"

" The Hungarian Government has rejected claims by Australian mining company Esmerelda that it has exaggerated the environmental damage caused by an accidental spill of cyanide-tainted water. Hungary says the damage bill resulting from the spill will run into many millions of dollars. Hungary's Deputy Foreign Minister Janos Hermans says last week's spill from the Australian-Romanian joint venture gold mine has killed the Tisza River and destroyed a way of life for more than 2 million people. Tonnes of fish have died, drinking water has been affected and scientists fear the cyanide and heavy metal residue from the spill could remain for decades. Mr Herman says his country will use whatever international treaties it can to win restitution for the damage. ""You cannot say that this happened and nobody, absolutely nobody is responsible. There should be somebody who is responsible,"" he said. The Hungarian Government says its initial assessment is that the damage could exceed $15 million. But it says it will be collating all the facts and building a strong scientific case before it takes legal action. *******************************************************************"

" The head of Telstra has played down speculation the company is about to float key divisions. Ziggy Switkowski says he brought up the issue in the media so it could be debated, but Telstra has no specific proposal to float its key divisions. ""I've come back after several weeks travelling overseas, attending conferences et cetera and talking to other CEOs (chief executive officers) and I think there are some perspectives there that as a management team, we should debate,"" he said. ""But that's well short of either making a decision or recommendation or even getting to the chairman of the board. ""We're nowhere near anything like that,"" Mr Switkowski said. The Federal Government says it has had no formal proposition from Telstra to allow it to sell some of its key assets. The Opposition has raised the matter at a Senate Estimates hearing in Canberra. Labor says it is clear the government is considering privatising Telstra through the back door, by allowing it to float individual arms, such as its online business and Yellow Pages. It has cited comments by Mr Switkowski as one way of getting around Parliament's refusal to allow Telstra's full privatisation. But Telstra executive John Stanthorpe denies there is any such plan. ""It would be detrimental to the shareholders, the whole 100 per cent of the shareholders of Telstra,"" he said. The Communications Minister Richard Alston has refused to rule out the possibility of such asset sales, but has expressed sympathy for Mr Switkowski's stance. ""His concern is that Telstra is in a straitjacket that applies to no other Telco around the world,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's unemployment rate has dropped below 7 per cent for only the second time in nine-and-a-half years. But holiday-making during January looks to have taken precedence over job seeking. In the latest month far fewer people have been looking for work, driving the participation rate down by 0.4 of 1 per cent. That has meant that even though total employment numbers have shrunk unexpectedly, the official jobless rate has also fallen. It now stands at a seasonally-adjusted 6.8 per cent. After last November's 6.7 per cent, it is the best outcome in more than nine-and-a-half years. However the number of people holding down a job during January has dropped by almost 28,000 - a slump of more than 40,000 in the number of full-time positions has been offset by 12,000 extra part-time jobs. Federal Employment Minister Peter Reith says the drop in unemployment is further evidence of the strength of the economy. Mr Reith says while monthly figures will vary, the steady decline in unemployment is continuing. ""The figures making up this month's figures have sort of bounced around a bit, they're pretty volatile,"" he said. ""But generally speaking the Government is on track to meets its forecast unemployment rate by June next year."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Major industrial action in three states is affecting the transport, power and coal industries. In Queensland, rail workers have brought the network to a standstill over a pay claim while flights across the country could be disrupted by planned stoppages at Ansett. Victorian power supplies remain threatened by action at the Yallourn power station and in New South Wales BHP's Illawarra coal workers are the subject of a return to work order. Queensland Rail unions face $75,000 fines for defying an order from the Industrial Relations Commission to return to work. The Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has conceded the 48-hour rail strike, now in its second day, is a test for the Queensland Government's industrial relations laws. Mr Beattie says Queensland Rail (QR) will begin proceedings in the Industrial Relations Commission today seeking penalties against the unions for defying a return to work order. QR will also ask for the dispute over its 6.5 per cent pay rise offer over two years to move to the arbitration phase, giving the commission the power to make a ruling and ban any future industrial action. Air travel is also set to be disrupted by industrial action after Ansett failed in its attempt to thwart stoppages which are expected to affect flights across the country. At an Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) hearing in Melbourne, Ansett failed to agree with the Australian Services Union on any resolution. Ansett was trying to prevent stopwork meetings by reservation and check-in staff and a 24-hour strike by freight workers planned for tomorrow. The industrial action is being led by the ASU following a breakdown in negotiations for a new agreement on wages and conditions. The late sitting in the IRC considered three requests by Ansett: to stop Friday's proposed action, to terminate the bargaining period and to sue the union for damages. Meanwhile, the IRC has ordered BHP's Illawarra coal workers to return to work as soon as possible. The workers have continued their strike for another 24 hours after taking part in a wider union campaign against BHP's decision to cut its price of coal. Their union, the CFMEU, says the workers extended the action after alleging BHP officials harassed them for taking part in the strike. BHP has begun contempt proceedings against the coal unions in the Federal Court for staging the strike. While the coal workers have been ordered to return, in Victoria, power problems brought on through industrial action at the Yallourn power station are continuing as temperatures soar. Victorian Premier Steve Bracks is reviewing power restrictions this morning following a revised top temperature for Melbourne of 38 degrees. Mr Bracks says the forecast increased temperatures for Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney will put an added load on the national power supply. Power unions want the Victorian Government to intervene in the IRC to oppose Yallourn Energy's application to terminate the enterprise agreement with its workers. The CFMEU said termination of the agreement would result in industrial turmoil. Union spokesman Luke Vandermeulin says the unions cannot negotiate with Yallourn Energy with the threat of termination hanging over their heads. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Authorities in the United States are struggling to find those responsible for three days of concerted attacks on some of the biggest sites on the Internet. The latest web business to find itself under siege was broking site ETrade, which says a hacker or hackers flooded its web page for around 90 minutes, slowing service, but not compromising any of its customer accounts. Already this week, popular search engine, Yahoo, news site CNN and Internet Auction Business eBay have found themselves targets for a hacker or hackers, who have tried to overwhelm their computer networks with massive amounts of data being pumped at the sites every second. Authorities have yet to identify the source of the attacks. The FBI has now begun an investigation. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Israel's Foreign Minister says Lebanon will be set ablaze if Hezbollah guerillas launch rocket attacks on Israeli towns. David Levi addressed diplomats in Jerusalem after a second night of Israeli air strikes on another three towns in Lebanon. ""If katyusha rockets fall on our towns the soil of Lebanon will burn, Lebanon's interests will be in flames,"" Mr Levi said. But as Israelis from the country's north have fled south, or taken to bomb shelters, Hezbollah is concentrating on attacks on Israeli soldiers in south Lebanon. France, which has sharply criticised Israel's air strikes and the United States, which has blamed Hezbolalh provocation, both want to move the conflicts to diplomatic channels, with a meeting of a truce monitoring committee. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australian swimming officials are calling for blood testing to be implemented in time to be used to expose drug cheats at the Sydney Olympics. Australian Swimming president Terry Gathercole says blood testing would avoid such problems as occurred last week at the World Cup meet in Berlin. Several swimmers, including Australia's Ian Thorpe, were angry with the testing procedures after being asked to provide urine samples in non-tamper proof containers. Gathercole says Australian scientists are working hard to devise a conclusive doping test. ""I just hope our researchers can you know, bring this to a 100 per cent conclusion so that there is no doubt then with the IOC [International Olympic Committee] or anybody else, saying it's not a conclusive test,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's peak union body has given qualified support to the Federal Government's latest proposal to protect workers' entitlements. However, the ACTU is still calling on the government to go further. The ACTU regards the government's Employee Entitlements Support Scheme as an interim and immediate arrangement pending examnination of a compulsary insurance model to protect workers' entitlements. The government yesterday announced it was establishing a safety net fund which will give workers up to $20,000 towards lost wages and other dues. It is also planning tougher laws against employers who leave their staff without protection. The ACTU's secretary-elect, Greg Combet, says the overall and individual caps put forward mean that many workers will only be partially compensated and the funding of the scheme absolves employers from their legal obligations to pay entitlements. Mr Combet has called again for a national fund, paid for by a 0.1 per cent levy on employers. ____________________________________________________________________"

" There has been a renewed call for the Federal Government to get tough on local companies that damage the environment overseas. A project half-owned by an Australian company has spilled cyanide into a Hungarian river, poisoning the drinking water of more than two million people. The Democrats and Greens say Australian companies should not be able to exploit overseas environments and not be held to account. Greens Senator Bob Brown said nothing was done after the Ok Tedi disaster in PNG, and this time the government must act. ""There is now precedents for this, child abuse in another country, a child abuser in another country can be brought to dock in Australia, an environmental abuser in another country should equally be able to be brought to dock in Australia,"" he said. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Another hostage has been released from an Afghan airlines plane being held by hijackers at London's Stansted Airport. The release came as police negotiators warned the crisis could continue for some time. A man, who is said to have been feeling unwell with a respiratory disorder, was released by the hijackers. He is the ninth person to be freed since the Ariana Airlines Boeing 727 landed at Stansted on Monday. It is believed 156 people, including 21 children, 14 crew and an unknown number of hijackers remain on board the aircraft. Police say the hijackers are yet to make any political demands, although it has been speculated they may be trying to obtain the release of an Afghan opposition figure, jailed by the country's ruling Taliban militia. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" As fighting continues in the south of Chechnya, there are allegations that Russian troops are executing civilians in the capital, Grozny. The allegations have been documented by the international monitoring group, Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch claims it has evidence of eight incidents over the past month in which unarmed civilians were shot at point blank range. It says 22 people died and it is investigating further allegatinos from witnesses of other murders of civilians. Human Rights Watch has also documented allegations of rape and looting, and is calling on Russia not to let these crimes go unpunished. ---------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister has announced a $4 million assistance package to ensure sacked textiles workers get their full entitlements. The government will provide $2 million and New South Wales another $2 million to cover outstanding payments for 300 workers retrenched from National Textiles in the Hunter Valley. The funds are conditional on a deed of arrangement to be signed by all relevant parties. Mr Howard says the government will also provide $2 million to help the retrenched workers retrain. He says the government is being more generous because of special circumstances. ""It is the obligation of governments to pursue agendas of economic change and reform because they are beneficial to the overall community,"" Mr Howard said. ""But it is also the obligation of governments where people are hurt through no fault of their own, as a consequence of that economic change and reform, it's necessary to give a bit of assistance to those people,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" British negotiators dealing with a hijacked Afghan airliner are putting their faith in patience as they try to orchestrate a non-violent end to the drama. The plane, which was originally on a domestic flight from Kabul, has been parked on a runway outside London for more than 24 hours with no end to the crisis in sight. Despite the fact that the airliner has been staked out by camouflaged troops, the British authorities are indicating that they would only resort to storming the plane if the hijackers start harming the hostages. However, police are saying that their patient tactics could mean the crisis will continue for days. The hijackers have allowed supplies of medicines, drinks and food to be brought onboard, including the 157 hostages' first hot meal which included roast chicken and grilled fish. Afghanistan's Taliban Government has said that while the British authorities are free to negotiate with the hostages, the Taliban itself will not give in to any demands. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A study of the former Labor government's employment programs has found that wage subsidy programs were of more assistance to jobseekers. Researchers at Curtin University examined labour market assistance programs between 1994 and 1997. They found evidence to suggest the programs led to long-term work, and not just short-term or ""dead end"" jobs. Of the labour market programs considered wage subsidy programs were found to have the most favourable impact on participants, followed by brokered employment programs, job search assistance and training programs. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" In harness racing, Courage Under Fire has been installed as odds-on favourite for Saturday night's Interdom grand final, at Moonee Valley. The bookies are quoting five-to-four on for Courage Under Fire, after it drew barrier two in the million-dollar race. Second favourite is Slug of Jin at seven-to-two, starting from barrier four. The number one barrier went to Kyema Kid, which comes into the race with a win over the favourite to its name."

" Victoria still faces power restrictions today despite Yallourn Energy workers going back to work last night ending a four-week shutdown. Unions have reluctantly voted to comply with a State Government order after mediation failed. A small crew worked through the night to ensure Yallourn Energy's return to full output at a date yet to be confirmed. Restrictions remain in place today and tomorrow between 1:00pm and 7:00pm AEDT. Union spokesman Dean Mighell says workers feel betrayed by the Bracks Government's order to return to work. ""I would call on this government to start looking at what pressure it can put on the instigators and the protagonists, not on the workers,"" he said. The Premier says he understands the union's position. ""They have not deserted Victoria and I will not desert them either,"" he said. The Industrial Relations Commission is awaiting a progress report from the parties on Thursday before it considers arbitration. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The head of what is to be Australia's biggest independent television production house says there will be no loss of Australian identity in making shows for international markets. The new firm combines the resources of Channel Seven and Artist Services, which is owned by the British media company, Granada. The deal allows Seven to outsource production, reducing costs while staying in the business. Executive chairman Kerry Stokes says crucially, Granada will pay the new group's overseas distribution allowance. ""This gets over the problem like the ABC recently had with Seachange, where the ABC could only pay for the Australian rights and it was in jeopardy until Granada agreed to subsidise the overseas rights,"" he said. The current head of Artist Services, Steve Vizard, who will chair the new group, says Granada will be involved in all phases of development with a view to maximising overseas sales. ""I think we're not going to see any loss of identity, in fact to the contrary, we're going to see better Australian production values, better Australian stories,"" Mr Vizard said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Broadcasting Authority (ABA) has found Sydney radio station 2UE guilty of close to 100 breaches of broadcasting law and codes of practice. The cash for comment affair has led to new licence conditions being imposed on 2UE. The ABA found that broadcasts by announcers John Laws and Alan Jones involved five breaches of the Broadcasting Services Act and another 95 breaches of the commercial radio code. The head of the inquiry, Michael Gordon Smith, said the breaches involved a failure to properly identify political material and separately, failures to disclose relevant facts and to ensure that ads are not presented as news. 2UE will now face new standards of disclosure of commercial arrangements. Mr Gordon Smith also referred to the broadcasters at the heart of the inquiry and their own submissions about disclosure of their commercial arrangements. The panel has not accepted the submissions of Mr Laws and Mr Jones on these issues. The ABA's recommendations follow a lengthy investigation into practices at 2UE. The ABA inquiry began last October, after the ABC's Media Watch program revealed a contract between Mr Laws and the Australian Bankers Association for favourable comment about the banking industry. The inquiry started with ABA chairman Professor David Flint, at the helm, but he later stood down after being interviewed on the Laws program. A panel, led by ABA member Michael Gordon Smith, replaced him. The inquiry sat for 17 days and heard from 27 witnesses. It concluded in early December with the authority's legal counsel urging conditions be placed on 2UE's licence. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A big national union is calling for a public inquiry into a proposed commercial deal between the ABC and Telstra. The two organisations have been negotiating over the sale of ABC material to a Telstra website. Graeme Thompson from the Commonwealth Public Sector Union says there should be parliamentary scrutiny of every aspect of the deal, so the public can judge the effect on the ABC's independence. ""If groups like Telstra can come in and stitch up deals with the ABC, the ABC is going to find it very, very difficult to turn the blowtorch on those organisations if they need to and maintain their editorial independence,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Marathon talks to resolve the dispute which is slashing Victoria's power supply have failed. The company at the centre of the dispute, Yallourn Energy, has rejected a resolution package put by independent mediator Neil Pope. That package included penalties for day shifts and ensured unions would be consulted on the use of contractors. But Yallourn Energy's chief executive Mike Johnston said it was not good enough. ""We were asked to operate a closed shop in terms of the use of contractors, which we are advised would leave us exposed to legal action,"" he said. He says the company can do nothing more to encourage striking workers to return to work. ""We have made it clear to them from day one of their industrial action, if they are prepared to work normally, they could come back to work immediately,"" Mr Johnston said. ""We have been shut down for four weeks without any revenue coming in, that has cost us many millions of dollars, we desperately want to get our power plant back and satisfy the needs of Victoria."" But the union spokesman, Dean Mighell, is outraged. ""We've got members that have been without pay now for 29 days and we've got a state that could be facing electricity shortages,"" he said. ""I hope everyone knows that this company has walked away from this agreement."" After 24 hours of discussions, the dispute is back to square one. The company wants to send the matter back to the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) but the unions do not want to go. Yallourn Energy has withdrawn the lock-out notices and will apply to the IRC to have the bargaining period lifted, and to implement an arbitrated solution. The Premier, Steve Bracks, has been unavailable for comment. However, Cabinet is expected to consider the situation later this morning. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Police say a passenger train in Germany was speeding at more than 100 kilometres an hour when it derailed south of Cologne, killing at least nine people. The express sleeper train had left the Dutch city of Amsterdam carrying people to ski resorts in Switzerland. The engine hurtled down an embankment with several of the front cars and hit a house. Dozens of passengers were injured when one car of the train flipped on its side and another was crushed against a steel post. Police have said that more bodies might be buried under wrecked coaches that are yet to be cleared. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia has won its first round Davis Cup tennis match against Switzerland in Zurich. In the second reverse singles match, Mark Philippoussis defeated George Bastl in five sets 6-7, 6-4, 3-6, 6-3, 6-4. Earlier this morning, Lleyton Hewitt defeated Roger Federer in four sets to square the tie at 2-2."

" Police in Thailand have detained up to 10 people suspected of being involved in the murder of a Victorian man and the serious wounding of his female companion last week. They have also posted a reward over the attack on Kelvin Bourke, 23, from Swan Hill and Sheri McFarlane, 26, who remains in hospital with stab wounds. A close friend of the couple, Martin Graham, says a letter to the families from the Australian embassy detailed the circumstances of the attack on the couple. He says they were camping in the Chaing Mai National Park when they were ambushed. Mr Bourke was shot in the head as he investigated a noise outside the couple's tent last Thursday. Close friend Martin Graham says the murder has shattered the Bourke family. He says Kelvin was a popular man. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Irish Republican Army (IRA) has warned it will not begin to disarm in response to demands from the British Government or from Protestant Unionists. But the paramilitary group has also said it remains committed to the ailing Northern Ireland peace process. In a statement released in Dublin, the IRA said it believed the current impasse over disarmament could be resolved, but this would not be on the terms demanded by Britain or Protestant Unionists. That appears to rule out even a token act of disarmament before the end of this week, when the British government has threatened to resume direct rule of Northern Ireland, if there is no movement on the arms issue. The IRA also rejected claims that it had given London and the unionists an undertaking that there would be some disarmament by the end of January. A crucial report, delivered last week by the independent body charged with removing paramilitary weapons from Northern Ireland reported there had been no disarmament by the IRA, leading to accusations of betrayal. But the IRA said it had not betrayed anyone. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A number of federal politicians representing regional areas in New South Wales have joined together to support the aviation industry in their electorates in the wake of the fuel contamination crisis. Several thousand light aircraft were grounded late last year after a batch of Mobil avgas was found to be contaminated. The MPs from Riverina, Farrer, New England and Parkes, have issued a joint statement saying they have full confidence in the charter aircraft cleared to fly again. The Member for Riverina in the State's south-west, Kay Hull, says it is time to remind people that many aircraft operators are back in business. ""It's a case of having enormous amounts of publicity whilst the aircraft were going through the difficult time,"" she said. ""But now that a lot of these aircraft have been cleared, there has been no publicity given to say 'look, we are cleared, we're back in the skies, and we are carrying passengers and freight again'."" Meanwhile, the largest aircraft to be grounded by the avgas scare takes to the skies today. The historical Lockheed Super Constellation leaves Sydney's Bankstown Airport for Hobart this morning. Special tests were needed to ensure the huge fuel tanks on the aircraft, built in 1955, were cleaned of the Mobil contaminated fuel. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Opposition says the aged care sector has been privately informed that the goods and services tax (GST) will apply to nursing home accommodation, contrary to Government assurances. The Opposition says the Australian Tax Office (ATO) has told aged care organisations that under the legislation, accommodation bonds and charges will be slugged with the 10 per cent tax. The Shadow Minister for Family Services and the Aged, Senator Chris Evans, says people entering nursing homes may have to pay an extra $6,000 a year, despite assurances that the sector will remain GST-free. He says the Government must legislate to exempt the industry from the tax. ""The ATO is now advising that under their interpretation bonds and charges paid to nursing homes to maintain the capital needs of the industry are subject to the GST,"" Mr Evans said. ""Costs will become even more prohibitive - it's expensive and difficult to get a bed now - with a GST imposed on it some older people won't be able to access the medical care they need."""

" The Federal Government says it totally rejects Senator Evans' claim. A spokesman for the Minister for Health and Aged Care, Michael Wooldridge, says aged care accommodation payments, including bonds and charges, will be GST-free. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Teenager Roger Federer has beaten Mark Philippoussis to score a shock four-set victory and draw Switzerland level with defending champions Australia in the Davis Cup first-round tie in Zurich. Federer stunned Philippoussis 6-4, 7-6, 4-6, 6-4 to pull the Swiss level after Australian number one Lleyton Hewitt had earlier beaten George Bastl 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-4. Tomorrow's doubles now pit Swiss pair Federer and Lorenzo Manta against Wayne Arthurs and Sandon Stolle. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Federal Cabinet next week will consider what help can be given to sacked workers from the National Textiles plant in the Hunter Valley. Prime Minister John Howard announced the move during talks with a delegation of workers in Newcastle. Mr Howard spent an hour with the workers and says he sympathises with them. ""I understand they are going through a lot of hardship and the Government is very sensitive to that,"" Mr Howard said. He says Cabinet will discuss the worker's entitlements and proposals to retrain them. The five workers who attended the meeting say they were pleased the Prime Minister listened to them and happy with the proposal he put forward."

" Pilbara unionists have voted unanimously to push ahead with their campaign to force BHP Iron Ore to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement. Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary-elect Greg Combet addressed about 200 workers at a stop-work meeting in Port Hedland this morning. The resolution to come out of the meeting welcomed a decision by BHP to consider negotiating a new collective agreement. Mr Combet says the company indicated that decision at a meeting in Melbourne last week. BHP has maintained it will not consider a new enterprise bargaining agreement at this stage but will await the outcome of its appeal against an injunction preventing it from issuing further individual contracts. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The two Melbourne law firms whch have launched class actions against Mobil over the contaminated fuel crisis are joining forces to fight the company. This follows the questioning by Mobil of the validity of one of the Supreme Court rules under which the action has been brought. The law firms say Mobil is arguing the case on technical legal grounds, in a bid to delay proceedings. Lawyer Bernard Murphy says the firms have decided to unite to ensure a speedy conclusion."

" Central Victorians have been warned they face more blackouts as the heatwave conditions continue. More than 100,000 Powercor customers were without electricity for up to two hours yesterday afternoon as selected feeders were shutdown to save dwindling supplies. Powercor's corporate affairs manager Hugo Armstrong says people should minimise their use of power and prepare for more blackouts lasting up to two hours. He says with increasing demand and limited supplies, it is not possible to give people more warning. ""We simply had to switch feeders very quickly with virtually no notice,"" he said. ""We apologise for that but we had no choice in the matter. ""The other option was for far greater areas of Victoria to be turned off without notice which would have quite possibly jeopardised services like hospitals and things like that."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" A hearing into whether Alan Bond's prison term should have been increased continues in the High Court today. Bond's lawyers say the Commonwealth appeal which saw his sentence increased from four to seven years, was invalid because the charges were based on state laws. Bond was jailed in Western Australia for his part in the billion dollar Bell Resources fraud in the 1980s. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Prime Minister has bowed to pressure and agreed to fly to Newcastle today, to meet sacked workers from the National Textiles plant. Mr Howard is on a tour of regional Australia, and until now has refused to meet the workers. Three hundred workers are yet to be paid any of their entitlements and are expected to get only 60 per cent of what they're owed, over two years. After ignoring repeated requests to meet them, the Prime Minister last night agreed to a stopover at the Newcastle airport this afternoon to talk to a handful of workers. But, the Textiles, Clothing and Footwear Union says a busload of workers will still meet the Prime Minister on the New South Wales mid north coast this morning, as originally planned. Worker Brian Blakemore says they just want a fair hearing. ""All we want this guy to do is just talk to us, just have a yarn to us,"" Mr Blakemore said. ""We've tried every way to get him to come down to us, but if he won't come down to us, it looks like we're going to chase him around the globe."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Lleyton Hewitt will play the opening singles rubber for Australia in the weekend's Davis Cup tie against Switzerland in Zurich. Hewitt will meet George Bastl, while Mark Philippoussis and Roger Federer will clash in the second singles match. Wayne Arthurs and Sandon Stolle have been named as Australia's doubles combination. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Western Australia's Youth Affairs Council has criticised the WA Government's so-called ""three strikes"" burglary legislation during a Senate inquiry hearing in Perth today. The inquiry is looking at the impact of mandatory sentencing on indigenous communities and whether it breaches Australia's international human rights obligations. The Youth Affairs Council's justice spokesman, the Reverend George Davies, says the legislation does not allow judges to consider the circumstances that lead to offences. He says mandatory sentencing is not a solution to crime. ""It's, of course, counter-productive to be intimidating young people, threatening them and locking them up because they will, in fact, become more of a danger to the public,"" he said. ""The idea of deterent and protecting the public is very misleading and simplistic."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Australia's credit markets remain fearful of steeply rising interest rates a day after the Reserve Bank's pre-emptive strike against inflation. But there is a view the markets are jumping at shadows. Yesterday's 0.5 per cent rise in official interest rates was an innoculation against overheating in the economy and as such its pre-emptive delivery should reduce the need for much bigger adjustments had they been delayed. But pricing in the bank bill futures market indicates a belief rates will climb a further 1.7 per cent by year's end, 1 per cent of that by mid year. Macquarie Investment Management's chief investment officer Greg Matthews says that would represent a total rise of 1994 proportions. But Mr Matthews says Macquarie believes the market is getting ahead of itself. ____________________________________________________________________"

" The United States central bank, the Federal Reserve, has raised its benchmark short-term interest rate one-quarter of a point to 5.75 per cent. It also raised the less important discount rate by a quarter of a point to 5.25 per cent. Analysts say the increases are meant to curb economic momentum. In a statement, the Federal Reserve warned about the risks of inflation. ____________________________________________________________________"

" Australia's head swimming coach Don Talbot has called on administrators to introduce blood testing to determine the true drug cheats. Talbot was responding to an article in a German swimming magazine where German men's coach Manfred Thiesmann accuses Australia's Ian Thorpe of using performance enhancing drugs. Thorpe has strenuously denied Thiesmann's allegations, and Talbot says proper drug testing procedures need to be implemented so champions like Thorpe are not unfairly tainted. ""Everybody knows that fiddling around with saline, with urine samples and with saliva, hair and all this sort of nonsense, is not going to give us the answers,"" he said. ""It's too easily masked so until they do something about that I'm afraid innocent people are going to be accused."" Meanwhile, Ian Thorpe has hit back at the German coach's claims that many leading figures in international swimming, believe the 17-year-old is a drug cheat. He was speaking in the English city of Sheffield, after picking up three gold medals at a World Cup short course meet. ""Everything that I do do is within the guidelines that are set out by FINA (the world swimming governing body) and everyone else,"" he said. ""I've never taken drugs and I won't take drugs because it is purely cheating and it just brings up once again the need for blood testing in international competition, in swimming especially, to prove the innocent."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Two men looking to pioneer a billion dollar hemp industry in Australia arrive in Tasmania today for talks with the Department of State Development. They are seeking help to get the fledgling export industry off the ground in Tasmania. Paul Benhaim, a director of a British hemp company, has formed Australian Hemp Foods to capitalise on what he says is an expected boom in the world market for hemp food. Mr Benhaim said trials revealed Tasmania was ideal for some strains of industrial hemp but said the State Government would be called on to amend laws to legalise its production. Mr Benhaim said that while Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland were interested they had failed to pledge financial support. ---------------------------------"

" International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president Kevan Gosper will not make public receipts that show his family paid for accommodation for a trip to Salt Lake City. That city's bid commmittee's record of events is different and the matter is now before the IOC's Ethics Commission. Mr Gosper says releasing the receipts would not advance the independent review into his conduct so he sees no need to make them available. ""I went public with the allegations immediately, I advised the Ethics Commission and commenced to send documents to them and I'm still in the process,"" he said. ""Once you've taken the decision to go to the Ethics Commission there's absolutely no case for making public those documents."" Mr Gosper, who has stood aside from the Ethics Commission, will continue to play an active role in Sydney's preparations by attending tomorrow's SOCOG board meeting. -------------------------------"

" The peace process in Northern Ireland has been plunged into deep uncertainty. It stems from reports that an independent inquiry has found that there has been no paramilitary disarmament so far. A power-sharing executive was set up in Northern Ireland two months ago on the basis that decommissioning of weapons would begin. The continuation of the executive is now under threat, according to as the BBC's John Devitt. Even though the disarmament report has not yet been made public, politicians in Northern Ireland have assumed that it will contain no news of disarmament. The Unionists had expected the IRA to start getting rid of their weapons by now. David Trimble leader of the main unionist party said that whatever the language used in the report, it could not change the simple fact that the decommissioning of weapons had not happened and he called on the British Government to take action. ""My expectation is that we will be moving fairly soon to the suspension of the agreement, I think that is fairly inevitable,"" he said. However, Sein Feinn's Gerry Adams says the process can still be made to work. ""But it cannot work if one party is intent on walking out of the process, it cannot work because one party is now trying to force two governments to act in default of this agreement."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Federal Labor frontbencher Lindsay Tanner says colleague Cheryl Kernot remains an electoral asset for Labor. Ms Kernot, who is the Shadow Employment Minister and member for the seat of Dickson in Queensland, has returned to work after recovering from an illness. She has been under pressure while she has been away with the Opposition leader accusing the media of stalking her and most recently she has been photographed wearing a red wig while attending the cinema. Ms Kernot is in Melbourne today for meetings with the Opposition leader and other frontbenchers. Mr Tanner, who has been acting in her job, has appealed to people to judge Ms Kernot on her merits. ""That's the key to all politics whether it be judging an issue or judging an individual,"" Mr Tanner said. ""Judge them on their merits, judge them on their contribution and let's move beyond the sort of stuff that's been happening recently. ""I think people are entitled to be judged on their performance, on what they contribute. I have no doubt that she'll contribute fantastically."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Oil company, Esso, has been committed to stand trial on charges relating to the fatal explosion at its Longford plant in Victoria's east in 1998. The charges concern a failure to provide or maintain a safe workplace. Esso pleaded not guilty to 35 WorkCover charges in the Melbourne Magistrates Court which carries a maximum penalty of $250,000 each. They stem from an explosion at the Longford plant on September 25, 1998, in which two men died and eight were seriously injured. The explosion cut gas supplies to Victoria for almost two weeks and was the subject of a Royal Commission last year. Esso spokeswoman Alex Roberts says the company will strongly defend the charges. ""We remain disappointed at the charges being brought against us, but we certainly will be defending them,"" he said. The company will face the charges on April 4, in the County Court. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Nearly 500 kilograms of cocaine have been seized in a pre-dawn operation off the New South Wales coast near Broken Bay, north of Sydney. Federal Customs Minister Senator Amanda Vanstone says the estimated wholesale value of the cocaine is between $80 and $150 million. Six people including two Australians and a New Zealander have been arrested and two vessels have been seized by Federal Police and Customs agents. The Minister says the record haul follows an 18-month covert surveillance operation with the co-operation of overseas authorities. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Indonesian President Abdurrahman Wahid says he will sack powerful General Wiranto after an official inquiry linked the officer to last year's mass violence in East Timor. ""We have to uphold human rights in Indonesia, whatever the course,"" he told Reuters Television while attending the World Economic Forum's annual meeting in the Swiss Alps. Asked if this meant he would sack the General, he said: ""Oh yes, of course. I will ask him, to use a polite word, ask him to resign."" Asked when he would dismiss Wiranto, Wahid said: ""When I return (home)."" He dismissed concerns about how the Indonesian military might react to the sacking. ""They will listen to us,"" he said. The Indonesian inquiry recommended that six generals, including Wiranto, face possible prosecution over the violence that erupted after East Timor voted for independence last August. The panel found evidence of mass killings and torture as well as attempts to tamper with evidence by removing bodies from graves. -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Hezbollah guerrillas in south Lebanon have killed three Israeli soldiers, just a day after assassinating the second highest ranked officer in the Israeli-backed South Lebanon Army (SLA). Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Barak has warned the situation in Lebanon is becoming dangerous. In a significant setback to Israel's plan to withdraw from Lebanon within months, three soldiers were killed and another four injured by a Hezbollah attack on an Israeli outpost near the Army stronghold of Beaufort Castle. Only one week ago, Israeli defence figures were suggesting their revised strategy had greatly weakened Hezbollah's ability to mount successful attacks in south Lebanon, with just 13 Israeli deaths recorded last year. But since then four Israeli soldiers have died as well as Colonel Akal Hasham, the second in command of the Israeli Allied SLA, killed in a remote control bomb attack yesterday. In Israel, pressure is growing for Prime Minister Ehud Barak to end a period of relative restraint, with a significant military response, despite the threat that could pose to the already unstable peace dialogue with Syria. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" At least 10 survivors have been found after a Kenya Airways plane carrying 179 passengers and crew plunged into the Atlantic Ocean off the Ivory Coast. Officials say rescuers have narrowed in on a crash zone where the aircraft is believed to have gone down, as an increasing number of survivors and several corpses are being brought to shore. The Airbus 3-10 crashed off the coast a few minutes after take-off from Abidjan's airport, mid-evening local time. It was headed toward Lagos in nearby Nigeria. The survivors are coming onto shore in boats and canoes, while one man, a French national, had earlier swum back to the beach. Hugo Baas is a spokesman for the Dutch airline KLM, which part-owns Kenyan Airways. ""The only thing I know at this very moment, it was flight KQ-11-31 from Abidjan to Lagos,"" he said. ""It was carrying approximately 169 passengers on board with ten crew members. ""Shortly after becoming airborne the aircraft disappeared from radar into the sea."" --------------------------------"

" The Federal Government has released a draft list of state and territory taxes and charges not subject to the goods and services tax (GST). It includes animal registration costs, local government rates, water and sewerage and adoption fees. Releasing the list in Melbourne, the Federal Treasurer, Peter Costello, said compulsory taxes and charges should not be subject to the tax. ""Where it is a fine you're not getting anything for a fine it's a law enforcement mechanism, and that is not subject to a GST,"" he said. ""Where it is a regulatory thing like the issue of a motor vehicle licence, like freedom of information or something of that nature then it's on this determination and it's not subject to GST."" The Treasurer has rejected reports motor vehicle licences and pet registration fees will be subject to the GST. He says some newspaper reports have got it wrong. ""So, local government rates are not subject to GST, drainage, water, pet registration, motor vehicle licences, any of those sorts of things,"" he said. Mr Costello has also denied that Government comments last week contributed to the weekend slide in the Australian dollar. The currency suffered one of its biggest one-day falls on Friday night, plunging three cents to 62.2 US cents. It has continued to rally today, to 63.95 US cents. Some analysts partly blame the Treasurer's comments that the economy is not overheating and the Prime Minister criticism of banks forecasting higher interest rates. But the Treasurer says the dollar's slide was due to overseas factors. ""I think most of the activity in relation to the dollar is international events, and the international event that obviously influenced sentiment on Friday was the US growth figure,"" he said. ""It was stronger than expected and, as I said, people started taking positions."" -------------------------------------"

" About 100 angry pro-Indonesian East Timorese have marched on Indonesia's Human Rights Commission in Jakarta, disrupting a media conference to announce the findings of a report on atrocities committed in the territory. The protesters have angrily objected to the independence of East Timor, and the possible trial of military officers and civilians. Wearing red and white headbands, the colours of the Indonesian flag, the protesters marched on the Commission and then took over the room where Commission members were about to announce the findings of a report into atrocities committed in East Timor. The report names 24 military officers and civilians who should be brought to trial. Among the names is General Wiranto, former Armed Forces commander, who one Commission member says knew of killings and violence going on in East Timor, but failed to stop a reign of terror. ---------------------------------"

" Former Deputy Prime Minister and National Party leader, Tim Fischer, has taken a role in a pilot television program on lifestyle and cooking Mr Fischer, last week announced he will retire from federal politics by relinquishing the seat of Farrer, at the next election. He has indicated he would be interested in a bigger involvement in eco-tourism. ""It's a pilot, we've put it down as a pilot program which James Ostler, Canaust and Cool Bananas Production promote tourism on a deeper broader scale, to a chunk of the Murray Valley,"" he said. ""It's called Pleasures of the Palate [and] I'd be one of the co-presenters."" -------------------------------"

" In Indonesia, a commission of inquiry on East Timor is today expected to deliver findings, showing the Indonesian military was responsible for a reign of terror, following last August's independence referendum. Indonesia's national commission on human rights has spent months on a report, aimed at bringing to justice the perpetrators of killings and violence. While the pro-Jakarta militias have been blamed for a reign of terror in East Timor, one commission member says former armed forces commander General Wiranto and the highest ranking regional leader Major General Adam D'miri will be held morally responsible. The names of up to 30 military officers and civilians will be submitted to Indonesia's Attorney-General to take legal action. But while Indonesia attempts to deal with the issue of East Timor and justice, a United Nations report on East Timor released on the weekend, has recommended trials be carried out by an international tribunal. Indonesia has rejected any possibility of this happening. --------------------------------"

" An Australian woman has been injured in a pirate attack on their yacht off the coast of Yemen in the gulf of Aden. It is the second such attack on Australians in the area in under three months. Jill Dawson of Adelaide says the catamaran being sailed by sister Gail and her partner Steve Philips was boarded and ransacked by pirates in the Gulf of Aden. She had been e-mailed to say they had survived the attack but that Gail had been wounded. In July last year, the Darwin couple received praise for standing by and rescuing five Sri Lankan nationals after their vessel sank with the loss of 14 lives in the Indian Ocean. It is the second pirate attack in less than three months on Australians in the Aden area. In November, a cruising yacht being sailed by a family of four from NSW, including two young children, was taken-in-tow by an oil tanker after a similar incident. ---------------------------------"

" Australia's Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer expects a second report to find the Indonesian military responsible for recent atrocities committed in East Timor. A United Nations commission has concluded that Indonesian police and the army were ultimately responsible for killings carried out by pro-Jakarta militias. Its report recommends an international human rights tribunal be set up to prosecute those responsible. Mr Downer says the international community should first wait to see the outcome of the Indonesian Government's own inquiry, due tomorrow, and the recommendations it proposes. ""The Indonesian inquiry, which is being conducted by the Indonesian Human Rights Commission, should be concluded and let's see what action the Indonesians take on the basis of that inquiry,"" Mr Downer said. ""And the international court will be considered, I think, by the international community in the light of the domestic Indonesian inquiry."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" The Federal Government has challenged the states to support its proposed safety net scheme for retrenched workers. Details of the $100 million scheme have been unveiled by the Workplace Relations Minister. In recent months hundreds of workers in New South Wales have been retrenched but the companies that employed them have refused to pay out their full entitlements. The latest is Hunter Valley-based, National Textiles. A safety-net package is to be put to Cabinet that will ensure retrenched workers receive a minimum of up to four weeks' wages, 12 weeks' long service leave and four weeks' redundancy pay with a $20,000 limit. The Workplace Relations Minister Peter Reith has told Channel Seven he wants the support of the states. ""We're saying the Commonwealth should pay half and the states should pay half,"" Mr Reith said. ""My challenge, particularly to the Labor premiers, is to come out in the next day or two and support me in the submission I'm taking to Cabinet."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Former undisputed world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has stopped British champion Julius Francis in the second round of their heavyweight bout in Manchester. Tyson, 33, and with just three defeats in 50 professional fights, won when referee Roy Francis stopped the bout after 58 seconds of round two after London-born Francis had hit the canvas five times. Tyson told Fox Sports that with a few more fights under his belt he can challenge Britain's world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. ""I wish I looked as good....I felt as good as everybody said I looked but I'd like to thank my staff, all my sparring partners,"" he said. ""I trained hard for this fight, I was in great shape I was prepared to go the whole 10, 15 rounds whatever it was."" ____________________________________________________________________"

" Aboriginal reconciliation and the full sale of Telstra have been stressed in the Federal Government's outline of priorities. The Prime Minister, John Howard, has issued a 10-year outlook for Australia during his first major address of the year. Addressing business and community leaders in Melbourne, Mr Howard began with a plea for patience on the goods and services tax, attacking what he called the negative, obstructionist agenda being pursued by the enemeies of tax reform. He has renewed the Government's commitment to Aboriginal reconciliation, saying it will be best done through practical measures to address disadvantage. In discussing the need to renew infrastructure, Mr Howard stressed the case for the eventual full sale of Telstra, saying funding the carrier is diverting money from other areas of public investment. On social policy, he says he has asked the Workplace Relations Minister, Peter Reith, to identify obstacles employers face in trying to let staff better balance work and family. ------------------------------"

" A new national pollutant database will allow Australians to get a clearer picture of pollutants being discharged into their neighbourhoods. The Federal Environment Minister, Robert Hill, has launched Australia's first national pollutant inventory in Melbourne. Senator Hill says people can use the Internet to find out what is being put into the atmosphere by factories and other sources and what is being done to reduce emissions. Senator Hill says Australia has followed the lead of other industrialised countries. ""We did have an advantage in that Australia is not the first in having a national pollutant inventory and so we were able to learn from the experience of countries such as the United States and Canada,"" he said. ""We were able to refine the lists of substances from their experience so that we were not requiring reporting on unnecessary substances and we want to be obviously as industry-friendly as possible."" The national pollutant inventory can be found at www.environment.gov.au/epg/npi/. ----------------------------------"

" Australia's dive industry has been the all-clear at an international conference, despite two major incidents involving American tourists. Dive Queensland secretary-treasurer, Col McKenzie, has just returned from the dive conference in Las Vegas. He says the disappearance of Thomas and Eileen Lonergan two years ago is a closed issue and no one blames Quicksilver for the disappearance of 80-year-old Ursula Clutton last month. ""I went to several training seminars where they were talking about how to handle disaster situations and that was probably the only place I heard the Lonergans mentioned and it was mentioned in the vain of being a media disaster,"" he said. ""The unfortunate situation that happened earlier this year out of Port Douglas, I mean, that didn't even rate a mention. Not one person mentioned it to me."" --------------------------------"

" Australian Rennae Stubbs and American partner, Lisa Raymond, have defeated Martina Hingis and Mary Pierce to take out the women's doubles title at the Australian Open tennis. Stubbs and Raymond won the final 6-4, 5-7, 6-4. In other news from the Open, Pete Sampras has withdrawn from the US team for the United States' upcoming Davis Cup tie against Zimbabwe, after injuring his hip. Sampras says the injury happened during last night's semi-final defeat by Andre Agassi. Defending men's singles champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov this afternoon meets Swede Magnus Norman, with the winner to play Agassi in the final."

" Rising prices for tobacco, housing and petrol are seen as fuelling inflation in the latest three-months. Financial market economists are tipping an annual increase in the Consumer Price Index of 2 per cent ahead of the December quarter data being released later this morning. That would put it back up into the range that has been targeted by the Reserve Bank, after being below it for the past three-years. Macquarie Bank chief economist, Bill Shields, says that in the meantime there is no consensus among market economists about what the Reserve Bank might decide at its board meeting next Tuesday. ""I think they are divided,"" he said. ------------------------------------"

" Stock prices on Wall Street have finished just into negative territory after increasing volatility in the final two-hours of the latest session. The Dow Jones industrial average has moved in a range of almost 250-points. But it has closed just 5-points lower at 11,028. The US bond market has strengthened. The firmer prices have pushed down the yield on 30-year Treasury paper to 6.515 per cent which is a fall of more than 5-points. In Europe, share prices have moved ahead taking a lead from Wall Street's earlier gains, and underpinned by merger speculation in the telecommunications sector. Frankfurt has surged again, jumping 2.3 per cent and Paris is up 0.7 per cent. In London, British Telecom shares have benefited from speculation it is about to announce a merger with Spanish group, Telefonica. London's FT-100 index has gained 55-points to finish at 6,431. That is a rise of 0.9 per cent. Yesterday in Asia, the larger markets tended to be the stand-out performers. Hong Kong was up almost 3.2 per cent overall. Japanese investors were also buyers. Tokyo's Nikkei index rose 99 points to 19,210. In Australia, the market limped ahead in an uninspiring resumption of trade after the Australia Day holiday. The All Ordinaries index finished just 5-points higher at 3,083. Overnight trade on the Sydney Futures exchange has closed with the March Share Price Index contract down 6-points on yesterday's day settlement at 3,086. The 10-year bond contract is up 2-points at 92.80 with the implied yield easing to 7.2 per cent. The Australian dollar is a little firmer against its US counterpart ahead of today's December quarter inflation figures. The local currency is now trading at around 65.42 US cents, up 0.2 of a cent on yesterday's local close. On the cross-rates, it is at 0.6621 euros; 68.73 Japanese yen; 39.90 pence Sterling; and against the New Zealand dollar, it is at 1.295. The price of gold is at $US286.90 an ounce. West Texas crude oil is at $US27.22 a barrel. ---------------------------------"

" A Hunter research team says the blink of a person's eye may identify people at risk of becoming compulsive gamblers. The researchers say they will look at people's eye-blink responses and brain waves, to test their theory that compulsive gambling is linked to obsessive compulsive disorder. Doctor Ulrich Schall says the research will begin at the James Fletcher Hospital in Newcastle next month and take about a year. ""We see a link of compulsive gambling with obsessive gambling with obsessive compulsive disorder,"" he said. ""That's a mental condition where people can't stop their behaviour although they know that it's meaningless what they're doing like compulsive washing the hands and this sort of story."" ----------------------------------"

" Hundreds of angry tennis fans are considering legal action against Qantas Holidays, because they have been left without a seat for tonight's Sampras-Agassi semi-final at the Australian Open. The fans paid for centre court seats at Melbourne Park, but Qantas Holidays failed to reserve enough tickets for the match which has been sold out. Qantas customers paid for their Australian Open finals tickets at least three months ago. Some, from as far away as north Queensland, claim Qantas Holidays failed to inform them of any ticketing error before arriving at Melbourne Park. ""If I'd have known about this two days ago, I'd have cancelled,"" one angry fan said. ""I've taken long service leave to come on this trip, and we booked three months ago, we arrived here and yesterday, we were told that we didn't have seats for the best match in the whole tournament,"" another fan said. Sue, from Mackay in north Queensland, says everyone in her holiday group is considering class action against Qantas Holidays. ""We paid the for these tickets four months ago, they have re-sold our tickets and no matter who was playing tonight, we want our seats, that's all there is to it, we don't want anything else, we want our seats inside the centre court,"" she said. Qantas Holidays spokeswoman, Janet Collingwood, says the company has taken full responsibilty for the ticketing mess. ""There appears to have been some error, we're not sure where that error is at this stage,"" she said. ""We obviously thought we had the tickets stitched up otherwise we wouldn't have sold them the tickets."" Qantas is trying to make arrangments for its customers to watch the match on a big screen, either at Melbourne Park, or another venue. ----------------------------------"

" The Northern Territory coroner's court has released its report into the death of a Dutch journalist in East Timor, in September last year. In his findings, Coroner Greg Cavanagh concluded that Sander Robert Thoenes was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest at close range. After three separate examinations by an Indonesian Army doctor, an Australian Army doctor and Dr Michael Zillman of the Royal Darwin Hospital, it was Dr Zillman's autopsy report which the coroner accepted. Greg Cavanagh says, unlike the other two, Dr Zillman had specialist training in forensic pathology. The report states that on September 21 Sander Robert Thoenes was travelling as a pillion passenger on a motorcycle from Dili, to the village of Becora. Instead the bike did a u-turn just past the Becora church, when the driver saw three motorbikes approaching, with the riders dressed in TNI uniforms, armed with automatic weapons. Either the chase or the shooting caused the bike to fall onto its left side, with the driver fleeing the scene. The body of Mr Thoenes was found early the next morning by Interfet personnel. ----------------------------------"

" A local Timber Creek police officer is the new Donkey leg throwing champion, after yesterday's annual Australia Day competition. The men, women and children of Timber Creek were all vying for the title, each given three throws. Michael Whyatt tossed the leg 22.5 metres, breaking the previous record by nearly five metres. Michael received a trophy made out the skulls and legs of a dead horse, painted black, white and gold. ---------------------------------"

" Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has played down the prospect of an upsurge in violence in East Timor by pro-Indonesian milita, once the Australian-led force starts handing over to United Nations peacekeepers next month. Mr Downer, who has just visited Jakarta, made the comments in Britain, after a speech to students at the prestigious Oxford Union. He said the peacekeepers will have to be vigilant and determined to use force if there is renewed militia activity, but he is confident it can quickly be brought under control. ""It may be that the militias will try them out a bit to start with, and anyway there'll be plenty of people with experience, including quite a lot of Australians from Interfet,"" he said. ""And I'm sure that any resurgent militia activity will be dealt with summarily by the peacekeeping operation."" ********************************************************************"

" Three-hundred workers retrenched from National Textiles at Rutherford, in the Hunter Valley, have suffered another blow, with claims their last pay cheque from the company may have bounced. The company announced last week it was closing down. The workers are into their third day of a picket line outside the factory demanding to be paid their full entitlements. Former machine operator at National Textiles, Greg Nolan, says he is one of many workers who have had their last pay from the company removed from their bank accounts. ""We had a week's extra pay put in our bank,"" he said. ""I checked it on Saturday and it was there, $380.30. ""I went down last night and the $380.30 has been taken out. ""It's not a lot of money but it would have kept us going for another week or so."" Textiles union delegate, Brian Blakemore, says workers are supposed to be paid for another four days work this week. Mr Blakemore says workers are confused and he hopes they will get an explanation at tomorrow's meeting with the administrators. ""Everybody from National Textiles is going down to that administrators meeting at Newcastle Workers club on Friday,"" he said. ""Now we're supposed to have another four day's pay in there on Thursday, if it's not there, there'll be probably a hell of a scene down at the Workers Club. ""The feeling of the people, they're not happy. ""There's no money in the bank for them, they've got to feed their children, they've got to pay their mortgages, they've got to do everything else like everyone else that is working,"" Mr Nolan said. ********************************************************************"

" New South Wales dairy farmers have begun a series of meetings on the Federal Government's $1.7 billion plan to deregulate the nation's dairy industry. The package will give farmers compensation if they choose to leave the dairy industry, but it will not go ahead unless all states agree to the proposal. Farmers in Victoria, who are responsible for around two-thirds of Australia's dairy production, have backed deregulation. New South Wales Dairy Association Hunter representative Arthur Burns, says that does not leave dairy farmers with much choice. ""They don't really stand to gain anything from deregulation,"" he said. ""The problem is though, if the biggest dairy state in Australia, the state that produces 63 per cent of the nation's milk, does deregulate, to compete with them we have to too."" ********************************************************************"

" Around 6,000 people are set to become Australian citizens at ceremonies around the country today. The Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, says Australia Day this year marks the end of a 12-month campaign to raise interest in citizenship. The Special Minister of State, Chris Ellison, has urged all those who become citizens to enrol to vote. Senator Ellison says Australian Electoral Commission officers will attend a number of citizenship ceremonies to hand-out enrolment forms and information."

" Around 2,000 people are expected to invade Australia Day ceremonies around Melbourne today, to push the case of the indigenous population. The Invasion Day Rally 2000 is scheduled to start at 11:00am AEDT in the centre of the city. Activist Charmaine Clarke says the ralliers have a serious point to make. ""It's not Australia Day for indigenous people around the country,"" she said. ""It's not a day of celebration, it's actually a day of mourning. ""We're also going to be calling for the actual Australia Day celebrations to be moved to a more appropriate time, so that all Australians, including indigenous Australians can actually celebrate together."" Aboriginal groups in Adelaide will mark Australia Day by labelling it Invasion Day and by paying tribute to their elders. A line-up of events will be held outside the Tandanya Aboriginal Cultural Institute in the city, from midday. The program will include a concert and will be launched by Kaurna elder Georgina Williams."

" The Federal Government is to tighten the rules for jobseekers receiving Government benefits. There will be an increase in the number of jobs the unemployed have to apply for along with an expanded use of job search diaries. The Community Services Minister, Larry Anthony, says it is better to have some type of job than none at all because once people are in work they are in a better position to progress. ""What we are seeing particularly in some of those capital cities and particularly in Sydney is that many areas we're getting down to almost zero unemployment,"" he said. ""Of course in other suburbs it might not be the case. ""But we do want people to be more vigorous in looking for work but we also recognise that if people obtain part-time work then the current requirements for looking for full-time jobs will be halved."" ----------------------------------"

" The prospects for interest rates continue to preoccupy investors in the United States. Recent comments from Federal Reserve officials have been taken by the markets to signal a more aggressive stance this year. Ahead of next week's policy meeting at the Reserve, prices on the New York Stock Exchange have managed just a small recovery after yesterday's big fall. That has only been achieved late in the session. The Dow Jones industrial average has been as much as 125 points lower overnight. But it has now closed 22 points higher at 11,030. The US bond market may be benefitting from some ""safe haven"" flows, having already factored in a tough stance on monetary policy. At the same time, President Bill Clinton has said the US will fully repay its public debt by 2013 - two years ahead of schedule. The firmer bond prices have pushed down the yield on 30-year Treasury paper to 6.64 per cent - a fall of one point. In Europe, yesterday's big falls on Wall Street had investors rattled and share prices in Frankfurt dropped 1.8 per cent. In Britain, UK interest rates also remain a concern. The London Stock Exchange's FT-100 index has fallen 106 points to finish at 6,274. That is the lowest close in three-months and a slide of 1.7 per cent. Yesterday in Asia, the key regional centres were all down. Japanese investors sold off information and high-tech stocks. Tokyo's Nikkei index fell 161 points to 18,896. In Australia, the market recovered some of its early losses but still closed substantially lower on interest rate concerns. The All Ordinaries index fell 18 points to 3,079. Today, the sharemarket will be closed for the Australia Day holiday. Overnight trade on the Sydney Futures exchange has now closed. The March Share Price Index contract is down 7 points on yesterday's day settlement at 3,076. The 10-year bond contract is down half a point at 92.73 with the implied yield at 7.27 per cent. The Australian dollar is a fraction lower against its US counterpart. Just before 8:00am AEDT it was now trading at around 65.56 US cents, down less than 0.1 of a cent on yesterday's local close. On the cross-rates it was at 0.6549 euros, 69.50 Japanese yen, 39.85 pence Sterling and against the New Zealand dollar it was at 1.289. The price of gold was at $US285.85 an ounce. West Texas crude oil was at $US29.86 a barrel. ---------------------------------"

" Mitsubishi has told its Adelaide workforce that it is in South Australia to stay. Management told unions, in a briefing this morning, that a new model Mitusbishi would be produced in Adelaide from 2005. Meanwhile, new versions of the Verada and Magna models will be produced locally. However, unions are still uncertain as to whether restructuring taking place in Mitusbishi worldwide will lead to any further job losses in Adelaide. And the company's managing director, Mike Quinn, has also announced he will retire, to be replaced by a Japanese executive. ----------------------------------"

" BHP's chief executive officer Paul Anderson says the company is repsonding to the global environment by introducing individual contracts to iron ore workers in the Pilbara in Western Australia. Unions are considering further industrial action at BHP sites, as the dispute over individual contracts heads to the Federal Court in Melbourne on Thursday. Mr Anderson says BHP is not going to wind the clock back for the iron workers, with the majority of its workforce now in enterprise bargaining agreements. ""We've got 10,000 other workers under enterprise bargaining agreements right now,"" he said. ""Our relationships in the steel industry have been very healthy, we've accomplished a lot, we've improved productivity there, we've done it without any industrial action. ""And I have to say everyone involved would claim it was very successful."" ---------------------------------"

" Andre Agassi has won a semi-final berth at the Australian Open tennis in Melbourne. In his quarter-final against Morocco's Hicham Arazi, Agassi took the match in straight sets: 6-4, 6-4, 6-2. Earlier this afternoon, Australia's doubles combination of Mark Woodforde and Todd Woodbridge won through to the quarter-finals, defeating Wayne Ferreira and Yevgeny Kafelnikov two sets to one. America's Jennifer Capriati has won through to her first grand slam semi-final in nine years, defeating Ai Sugiyama in straight sets. Capriati overcame two injury breaks in the first set, to win in 55 minutes."

" The Cival Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) has released its approved proceedures for decontaminating aircraft affected by contaminated avgas fuel. CASA has warned aircraft owners the procedure has not been approved by aircraft manufacturers and could affect warranties and insurance. Spokesman Peter Gibson says water must be flushed through empty fuel tanks. Then a water scavenging mixture is used to remove moisture and a number of engine parts are removed and inspected. ""It's n procedure which CASA's engineers and leading engineers from the aviation industry have been working on now for a number of weeks,"" he said. ""We've also been consulting closely with the aircraft manufacturers to get their views on these proceedures. ""Everybody agrees it is safe to use water to get rid of the contamination out of the fuel system."" ----------------------------------"

" Six human rights groups are challenging an interim decision by the British Government to release former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet. The 84-year-old General was arrested 15 months ago in London following a warrant issued by Spain, which wants to extradite him to face torture charges. The six groups, including Amnesty International, will seek a judicial review at the High Court in London. The joint action is based on claims that Britain's Home Secretary, Jack Straw, did not act properly before announcing that he believes General Pinochet should be released, because he is too ill to stand trial. The groups argue that Mr Straw should have released the medical report on which he based his decision. They are also critical of the doctors who wrote the report. It is expected the challenge will be heard late tomorrow. Belgium, which is also seeking General Pinochet's extradition, has said it will launch a separate challenge. The legal manoeuvering is likely to delay a final decision on the former dictator's fate. Pinochet remains under house arrest at a luxurious mansion on London's outskirts. ----------------------------------"

" Thai Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai has arrived in a border town to take charge of negotiations with dissident Burmese rebels who have taken hundreds of people hostage in a local hospital. It is believed a dozen masked gunmen are holding more than 600 patients and staff hostage. Thailand has agreed to some of the groups demands, allowing ethnic Karen refugees to enter the country for medical treatment. The rebels, believed to be from God's Army, a Burmese insurgent group led by 12-year-old twin boys, stormed the provincial hospital 120 kilometres west of Bangkok. A number of the hostages have been released and at one stage some 30 people managed to escape through the hospitals back door. Most were elderly or parents clutching babies as they fled to safety. This is Thailand's second hostage drama in less than four months, with gunmen seizing the Burmese Embassy last October. ------------------------------------"

" Mobil says it will fight against legal action taken over the contaminated aviation fuel crisis. Writs were filed in the Federal Court and the Supreme Court in Melbourne today, seeking millions of dollars from the oil company on behalf of thousands of pilots, aircraft owners and aviation operators. Mobil's Samantha Potts says the action is disappointing. ""We're particularly disappointed given the announcements we made towards the end of last week, firstly in relation to a $15 million program to provide financial support in an immediate sense, but also but also we comitted to establish a further program to address the direct business losses,"" she said. ""The details of that haven't been announced yet, yet we are having legal action. If the action is launched against us then we have no choice but to fight it."" Meanwhile, Victorian aircraft operators are becoming increasingly disheartened as planes undergoing testing for contaminated fuel fail to pass. Testing is underway at Melbourne's Moorabbin and Essendon airports. Moorabbin operators group spokesman Max Quartermain says testing is a waste of time and the limited number of test kits is slowing the process. ""I think that even if we had 500 kits on the airport it would just mean that all 280 planes would have been tested by now and we probably still would have had a 100 per cent fail rate,"" he said. ""I think the tests are useless. The tests are telling us what we already know - that the aircraft are contaminated. It's not solving our problem."" -----------------------------------"

" Brisbane software developer Technology One has announced it will supply a multi-million-dollar student administration system to Sydney's Macquarie University. Macquarie will use Technology One's ""Student One"" software to manage about 20,000 students. Shares in Technology One were up three cents to $2.63 shorlty after 2:00pm AEDT. ----------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, has signalled he will not be giving in to pressure to remove the goods and services tax (GST) on particular items. There have been calls to take the tax off tampons, but Mr Howard says there is no case for taking that step. He does not believe confusion over issues related to the tax, such as rounding up prices, will be damaging over the long run. Mr Howard, who is back at work today after holidays, has told Channel Nine he will be keeping his sights on the main story, which is to give the country a more competitive tax system. ""That is what I'm commited to and I want the Australian public to know from day one of my return that I'm absolutely irrevocably committed to this new tax system because I believe in it,"" he said. ""I believe it will be good for our country. That is why I'm committed to it."" -----------------------------------------------------------------"

" Another law firm has announced it will launch a class action against Mobil over the fuel contamination crisis. Action against the fuel company was discontinued in the Federal Court on Friday because it lacked numbers. Slater and Gordon has already said it will represent the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association on the matter. But law firm Maurice Blackburn Cashman has confirmed it will launch a $100 million action in the Federal Court in Melbourne today. It represents at least 50 operators, primarily from aerial agriculture, air charter and flying training industries, who claim to have suffered significant financial losses since the crisis began. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" There has been a call for Australians to find a new name for the nation's highest mountain. The mayor of Tumbarumba Shire Council, in southern New South Wales, Councillor George Martin, says a new more appropriate name is needed for Mount Kosciuszko. After trekking to the top of the mountain on Saturday in Tumbatrek 2000, Cr Martin said a new name could be an act of reconciliation to commemorate the Centenary of Federation. He says the new name could be either Aboriginal or in honour of a well-known local person like Jack Riley, the man from Snowy River. Mount Kosciuszko was named by the Polish explorer Strzelecki, in honour of one of his country's patriots, General Kosciuszko. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" One of the Australian cyclists in the Tour Down Under, which finished in Adelaide yesterday, has been charged with indecent behaviour and common assault. He is expected to appear in the Adelaide Magistrate's Court this morning. He was granted police bail after being charged. It is believed the charges arise from an incident at a city hotel on Saturday morning."

" The video store chain Video Ezy is about to move into telephony and Internet services. Video Ezy Australasia has announced it has signed a joint venture agreement with POS Media Online. The plan is to deliver telephone and Internet services to the existing customer base of Video Ezy through a television set-top box. The services, including transmission of videos on demand, will be delivered over customers' existing telephone lines. ----------------------------------"

" Electronic commerce in Australia's $70 billion hospitality and liquor industries is about to take a significant step forward. Three of the nation's top liquor producers are forming a joint venture to service the liquor trade online. Lion Nathan, Southcorp Wines and United Distillers & Vintners will participate in pilot program under the banner Artesian Innovation. A trial with selected Sydney restaurants will start at the end of the month. There will be a 24-hour liquor purchasing facility, with product information such as tasting notes, prices and promotions. --------------------------------"

" The Indonesian Government has experessed fears that provocateurs with links to the country's military and past regime of former President Suharto are behind sectarian violence in the country's eastern islands. Christians continue to flee the tourist island of Lombok after days of religious rioting. Hundreds of police and soldiers have re-established control of the streets in Lombok's capital Mataram, but ethnic Chinese residents, many who are are Christians, continue to flee. Religious violence on Lombok and on the eastern Maluku Islands, including Ambon, is viewed by the new government of Abdurrahman Wahid as being manufactured. They claims it is the work of provocateurs closely aligned to rogue elements in the military and the supporters of former President Suharto. But Indonesia's leading military officials have met President Wahid to assure him they have no intention of staging a coup."

" Justice Minister Senator Amanda Vandstone says the way is now clear for Australia to negotiate an international prisoner transfer treaty with Thailand. The Minister expects a treaty to be signed soon. Speaking in Bangkok, where she is been meeting with her Thai counterparts, Senator Vanstone says she was informed officially that the Northern Territory had dropped its objections prior to her visit. She says that hurdle has cleared the way for discussions with Thailand to proceed. Eleven Australians, two women and nine men, are currently serving lengthy sentences in Thai prisons, most for drug trafficking offences. Senator Vanstone says while all parties want to move quickly, legislation must be passed in the Northern Territory and the treaty must be brought before a parliamentary committee in Canberra before it can be finalised."

" Long-term unemployment has fallen to its lowest level in three years. Those out of work for more than a year represented 28.4 per cent of Australia's total number of unemployed in December, down 2.5 per cent on the previous month. The figure was the lowest since December 1996 and was mainly due to the rise in total unemployment last month. The Bureau of Statistics estimates around 190,000 people had been out of work for a year or more. ----------------------------------"

" The Federal Government has announced details of an environmental impact study on the corporatisation of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme and the impact on the River Murray. The government says it is the first time the Commonwealth has called for this type of study on a corporatisation proposal. The government says a primary focus of the study will be the impact of corporatisation on the Murray-Darling Basin. In particular the investigation will consider plans to divert water from the Murray into the Snowy River. The Environment Minister, Robert Hill, says the assessment will also look at the possibility of compensation for down-stream communities affected by water flow changes. There will also be a focus on the impact on endangered species and wetlands. The study is expected to be completed within about six months. ---------------------------------"

" Investors are continuing to desert Australian reinsurance companies. Like GIO Australia, Reinsurance Australia Corporation has been exposed to a series of natural disasters over the past 12 months. Reinsurance Australia Corporation (ReAC) was established in 1993 and by the following year it was operating in 76 countries. In January 1997, its share price peaked at $4.94. Today, it has been as low as 11.5 cents, a further plunge from yesterday's close of 30 cents. This morning the company announced it had been downgraded by ratings agency AM Best which it says will have an adverse impact on its ability to carry on its reinsurance business. The downgrading follows yesterday's disclosure that December's severe storms in Europe capped a year of natural disasters which will result in a 12 month reinsurance loss of substantially more than $281 million. ----------------------------------"

" The National Farmers Federation (NFF) is outraged over the United State's Government's decision to give an additional $160 million in assistance to its lamb producers. The NFF's trade committee chairman, Brendan Stewart, says it has added insult to injury for Australian producers whose offer last year, to help fund a major US marketing campaign, was rejected by US producers. He says the funds will be provided in direct cash payments to farmers. Mr Steward says Australian lamb exports to the US have fallen by 10 per cent since the US imposed tariffs on Australian and New Zealand lamb exports last July. ------------------------------------"

" Prices movements have been reasonably subdued on world financial markets overnight. Leading stocks in the United States have moved lower, with Microsoft providing a drag on the overall market. Although Microsoft's quarterly earnings report shows a 23 per cent jump in profits, its executives have given a more downbeat assessment of its likely prospects. Investors are also still wary about the potential for a tougher stance on official interest rates. The Dow Jones industrial average has closed 71 points lower at 11,489. High-tech stocks are a little firmer overall. The Nasdaq composite index is up 20 points, or 0.5 per cent. On the economic front the US Federal Reserve's regular assessment of the economy has been released. Its so-called Beige Book says that powered by consumer spending the American economy remains strong, with inflation in check and wage gains restrained despite tight labour markets. The US bond market has strengthened. The firmer prices have pushed down the yield on 30-year Treasury paper to 6.72 per cent, a fall of almost 3 points. In Britain Wall Street's weakness has again been cited as a factor, and the financial sector has been at the forefront of sharemarket selling. The London Stock Exchange's FT100 index has dropped almost 1 per cent, losing a further 59 points to close at 6,445. Yesterday in Asia, US interest rate jitters put the skids under most regional sharemarkets. Hong Kong was down 3.25 per cent. Jakarta was down 4.3 per cent as worries persist about continuing religion-based violence. Japanese investors also sold down on the day. Tokyo's Nikkei index dropped 299 points, to finish at 18,898. In Australia the falls were also pronounced. The All Ordinaries index finished 46 points lower at 3,105. Overnight trade on the Sydney Futures exchange has now closed. The March Share Price Index contract is unchanged on yesterday's day settlement at 3,097. And the 10 year bond contract is up 3.5 points at 92.70, with the implied yield easing to 7.3 per cent. The Australian dollar is a touch weaker against its US counterpart. Just before 8:00am AEDT it was trading at around 65.36 US cents, down 0.1 of a cent on yesterday's local close. On the cross-rates it was at 0.6551 euros, 69.92 Japanese yen, 40.36 pence Sterling and against the New Zealand dollar it is at 1.290. The price of gold is at $US289.80 an ounce. And in oil, West Texas crude is at $US29.11 a barrel. ----------------------------------"

" In another embarrassment for the United States military, the Pentagon says it will take a week to find out why a crucial test of a proposed missile defence system failed last night. In the test an intercept missile was launched from a the Marshall Islands some 20 minutes after a mock warhead was fired from a US airforce base in California. But despite apparently approaching the warhead, no hit was made by the so-called interceptor missile. The system being tested is central to plans for a national missile defence shield for the United States, a proposal which has heightened tensions with Russia and China. President Clinton has yet to commit to funding the program. ------------------------------------"

" A key forward indicator of the Australian economy is still showing no sign of any significant slowdown in activity. The Westpac/Melbourne Institute leading index has registered an annualised growth rate of 5.1 per cent for November. That is around 1.4 percentage points above its long-term trend rate of growth and points to above-trend economic growth six to nine months ahead. Westpac senior economist John Peters says the result bolsters the bank's prediction that official interest rates will be raised by 1.5 percentage points before the end of June. ""Consumer spending, which has underpinned recent strength in the economy, is likely to remain robust given the continuing high level of consumer confidence,"" he said. ""Moreover, in 2001 the export and manufacturing sectors are likely to contribute more to the overall economic growth, as the outlook for the global economy and commodity prices improves."" ----------------------------------"

" Cable and Wireless Optus has boosted its number of mobile phone customers to almost 2.5 million. Optus says that represents growth of more than 15 per cent between October and December last year, when it added 315,000 digital customers. The company has laid claim to being the fastest growing mobile network in Australia for the third successive quarter. It says it now has a market share of 32.5 per cent of the total mobile market. -----------------------------------"

" Union members protesting outside BHP's iron ore plant at Newman in the Pilbara have vowed to have sufficient numbers this morning to prevent any move by the police against them. There were clashes outside the main gate to the plant last night when police with batons charged the picket lines to enable a bus load of contract workers to enter the plant. About a dozen unionists were locked in paddy wagons by police and later released, although they may be charged by summons. The Construction, Forestry and Mining Union's Ron Kielty says it was an empty victory for police and the company. ""There was one bus of people and I'd say there'd be lucky if there's not even 30 on that bus,"" he said. ""Half of them were goons, what we call goons here as they send up their private security mob, which they would have had about eight on the bus. And some of the people on the bus were staff people. So, they'd be lucky if they could run the mine tonight."" BHP spokesman John Crowley says the unionists who were targeted by police last night were breaking the law. He says people have a right to gain lawful access to the plant and the police were defending that right. ""We're seeing some people that want to protest and they have the right to do so,"" Mr Crowley said. ""What we don't want to see is the sort of action where people are stopping and preventing other people from coming to work and then forcing a situation where the police have to take action to clear the pathway."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The National Australia Bank (NAB) has shelved plans to raise fees and charges on transaction accounts, citing the looming introduction of the goods and services tax (GST). The bank says it has been considering changes to the way it charges fees for more than a year. But it says it believes that to make changes now would lead to confusion with the introduction of the GST. The NAB was still holding talks with regulators as late as yesterday, but then decided against any adjustments. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Mobil has announced a $15 million compensation package for its customers affected by the fuel contamination crisis. The company says claims of up to $10,000 can be made under its financial hardship program, and some fuel-testing kits will also be distributed. Mobil says it is not an admission of liability, but a way of helping its customers who need immediate financial aid as a result of the crisis. The company says it is working on a further assistance program, with details to be released soon. It says the first payments should possibly be made as early as next week. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" There is still no resolution to the dispute between Ansett and the Transport Workers' Union (TWU) over ground staff at Hobart and Launceston airports. An Ansett representative says the airline and the union have agreed to continue talks tomorrow. The union had given Ansett until 3:00pm today to respond to its offer of assistance in the restructuring of the airline's workforce. Ansett is not commenting this afternoon on the offer. A TWU national phone hook-up to decide whether to take further industrial action has finished. Ansett flights into Tasmania were grounded for two-and-a-half days through a baggage handlers' strike, leaving thousands stranded. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" It has been a testing day of first round matches for many of the seeded players at the Australian Tennis Open. Rain, injury and the faster courts are among the factors which have caused grief for some of the top players. Defending men's champion Yevgeny Kafelnikov had to overcome injury to win his match, while rain interrupted play for about an hour on the outside courts. Nicolas Kiefer is the only other men's seed to win his match so far, with Gustavo Kuerten, Albert Costa and Cedric Pioline bowing out. Pioline was not pleased about losing the fifth set 9-7 to Goran Ivanisevich. ""You know Goran, tomorrow he could lose to his mum,"" he said. The women found the going easier, reigning champion Martina Hingis, Arantxa Sanchez Vicario and Conchita Martinez winning easily. Of the Australians, Jason Stoltenberg has won the first set of his match against Jonas Bjorkman and Alicia Molik is through to the second round. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australian forces in East Timor have had their first fatality since troops were deployed to the territory in September. A 33-year-old Lance Corporal has died of a respiratory illness. Interfet lost its first soldier in East Timor when a 37-year-old Warrant Officer with the New Zealand Army died in a truck accident on November 30. Today's death is the second Interfet fatality but the first for Australian forces in East Timor. The soldier died in hospital after a sudden deterioration of a respiratory illness. He was first admitted to hospital on January 13. The soldier was based in Dili. His family does not want his name to be released. The commander of the Interfet force, Major-General Peter Cosgrove has expressed his condolences to the man's family. He said the deceased man was a very good soldier. ""We are very sad to lose one of our own so far into an arduous tour of duty,"" he said. Arrangements are being made to repatriate the soldier's body to Australia. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Spanish judge who first secured the arrest of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in London in 1998, has asked Britain to carry out new medical tests on the former General. Judge Baltazar Garzon says he wants new medical tests to be carried out on General Pinochet by doctors of his choice and he says he also wants to question him himself. The Spanish Foreign Ministry says it has forwarded the request on to the British authorities. Judges in France and Belgium have also forwarded submissions to the UK Home Office seeking to push ahead with attempts to extradite him. Meanwhile, an application to the European Court of Human Rights to prevent Pinochet's release has failed. The court rejected the application first requested last September by seven Spanish relatives of people killed under the Pinochet regime. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Iraq has rejected the United Nation's choice of a new chief arms inspector, with Iraq's Deputy Prime Minister calling the nomination of Rolf Ekeus ""dishonest"". The remarks were the first Iraqi reaction to the recommendation by UN secretary general Kofi Annan that the Swedish diplomat should head the body. The new inspection agency, the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC), is to supervise disarming Iraq of its banned weapons. Iraq has not accepted any international inspection of its weapons programs since December 1998, when UN inspectors pulled out on the eve of a bombing campaign by the United States and British air forces. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The first cable Internet access in regional Australia is to be officially launched in the next few weeks in Mildura. Neighbourhood Cable says a trial among local businesses has proven its technology provides faster access to the Internet, reduces Internet access bills and frees up telephone lines. Technical manager Mark Schmidt says the company is ready to offer cable access to residents in central Mildura and is looking to expand into other regional centres like Ballarat. ""We chose Mildura as a testing ground for this product, mainly because of the layout of Mildura and the size of the town,"" he said. ""It was very well positioned to trial the product in. ""And also Mildura, because of its isolation, does miss out on a lot of the services which they already have in the capital cities, than the larger regional centres near Melbourne, so we just found it a very good testing place for the product,"" Mr Schmidt said. -----------------------------------"

" The CSIRO has devised a strategy whereby residents can store water during off-peak times to reduce costs. It is one of several options that has emerged from a national study into Australia's urban water use. CSIRO spokesman Andrew Speers says householders could buy their water during off-peak times at a lower price, and store it in a tank. The idea is part of a national campaign for more sustainable and efficient water use. ----------------------------------"

" Tournament top seed Andre Agassi has earned himself a place in the second round of the Australian Tennis Open in Melbourne. Agassi easily defeated Mariano Puerta of Argentina in three sets 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. Also through is women's second seed Lindsay Davenport, but not the 15th seed Anke Huber, who made a surprise early exit. Jim Courier lost his match, while Jennifer Capriati defeated Austria's Barbara Schwartz in two sets. Of the Australians, Rachel McQuillan and Joseph Sirriani lost thier matches, but Michael Hill and Todd Woodbridge advanced. Woodbridge said he was pleased with his performance in his first match of the tournament. ----------------------------------"

" The commander of the Interfet force, Major-General Peter Cosgrove, says he is very angry and disappointed with soldiers involved in the alleged sexual harassment of East Timorese. Interfet has been searching for more than a month for soldiers who went to a family house in Dili and allegedly engaged in verbal harassment of young women who lived there. The women claim the soldiers were Australian but that has not been established because the men have not been caught. Two Australian soldiers found in the area were questioned and cleared of involvement. Major-General Cosgrove says the incidents last year were isolated and all Interfet troops have been reminded of their responsibilities. ""We've apologised to the young women involved by saying that we were aghast at this as 99.9 per cent of the people who are here are,"" he said. ""I dare say the other 0.1 per cent would be feeling very guilty and stupid. ""I'm pleased to say that the Timorese family at that time were comforted by our assurances that we're very sorry, it was not typical and we'd be looking after the culprits,"" he said. --------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has cited new evidence to bolster its opposition to another rise in official interest rates. Most economists are predicting the Reserve Bank will increase rates as early as next month, after the next board meeting is held. A new ACCI survey has found the November rates rise led some companies to reduce their production levels. Chamber chief executive Mark Paterson says the Reserve should take note of the survey. ""It's clear evidence that even a 25 basis point increase has seen businesses take decisions to lower output, to lower growth and to lower employment,"" he said. ""If we want to do the economy harm then we'll take measures which will lower growth and force the pain onto the unemployed and those looking for work."" ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Opponents of Yugoslavia's President Slobodan Milosevic are suggesting that authorities in the capital, Belgrade, authorised the killing of the Serbian paramilitary leader and indicted war criminal known as Arkan. Zelko Raznatovic, better known as Arkan, was shot dead in a classic Balkan-style mafia hit in a Belgrade hotel on Saturday. At the time of his death he was said to have controlled almost 90 per cent of the gangster activity in Serbia and many believe his assassination was underworld business. He seemed untouchable - protected by what amounted to a private army. This made his killing all the more shocking to many people in Serbia. Opposition leaders have made it clear that they blame the authorities. The controversial politican Vuk Draskovic said the death of Arkan was further proof that state terrorism existed in Serbia. Mr Draskovic has repeatedly demanded an investigation into unsolved killings - most recently a suspicious car accident in which four of his associates died. Other Opposition leaders say the spate of assassinations in Serbia adds urgency to their calls for a change of government. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Russian forces in Chechnya have launched one of their fiercest attacks of the new year so far, flying repeated sorties against rebel positions and sending troops into many towns to make house-to-house searches. The Russians say they have regained control of most areas taken by the rebels in their recent counter-offensive. The heaviest Russian land and air assault for some weeks is now underway. In the latest 24-hour period, the Russian air force flew 180 missions against rebel targets in Grozny and the mountains of southern Chechnya. The rebel side has confirmed this is one of the heaviest bombardments of the war. Russian troops have also been sent into many lowland towns and villages to demonstrate that they have been recaptured and make house-to-house searches for the guerrillas and their weapons. But they have mostly taken over a wasteland. The rebels have melted away into the mountains. Latest television pictures from the war zone show town after town of destroyed houses and streets strewn with debris, in places like Charlee and Argun where the recent fighting was fiercest and the Russians suffered heavy casualties. Fighting has intensified in Grozny with reports of pitched street battles and intense Russian shelling. Russian troops emerging from the battle zone said Chechens were putting up fierce resistance. Russia claims to have regained the momentum after its offensive in Chechnya stalled last week in the face of rebel attacks on Russian-held towns and fierce resistance by fighters in Grozny. Meanwhile, heavily-armed guards at the main border post between Chechnya and the Russian republic of Ingushetia have allowed Chechen men to cross in and out of the republic for the first time since Tuesday. They had shocked refugees by splitting up families and separating Chechen men from women in response to two fierce rebel counter-attacks. Russia's Acting President Vladimir Putin has told Russian television that victory in Chechnya will require time and patience, apparently preparing the ground for an extended military campaign. He did not say how long he thought it would take Russian troops to win the war in the breakaway republic, stressing instead that care must be taken not to harm civilians. Mr Putin's tough handling of the Chechen campaign has seen his popularity rise in Russian polls, making him the frontrunner in the presidential elections due in March. *******************************************************************"

" India has asked Pakistan to arrest and hand over five hijackers of an Indian Airlines plane who Delhi says are likely to be in Pakistani territory. The hijackers seized the plane last month and held it in Afghanistan for eight days until India agreed to release three Kashmiri Muslim militants in exchange for more than 150 passengers aboard the plane. Ever since the hijacking ended and the five armed men who seized the plane disappeared from Kandahar, India has been insisting that they are in Pakistan. This demand from the Government in Delhi that Pakistan arrest and handover the hijackers is the most robust expression of India's feelings so far. It is not known where the hijackers are, but one of the freed Muslim extremists who travelled with them from Kandahar has been quoted in the press as saying they may have crossed the border into Pakistan. This is denied vehemently in Islamabad. Officials there say they will arrest and try the hijackers if they are caught on Pakistani soil. *******************************************************************"

" The World Anti-Doping Agency has held its first meeting in Lausanne with US anti-drugs campaigner Barry McCaffrey insisting the new body should be based away from Switzerland. Mr McCaffrey made the plea even though the new body's interim head Dick Pound - a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) - says the fledgling body has already made some progress. The meeting also discussed establishing a single list of banned substances, the adoption of an anti-doping code, the accreditation of anti-doping laboratories and the future location of the agency. The Australian Sports Drug Agency (ASDA) says it remains unclear whether it will have a role to play in drug-testing competitors at the Sydney Olympics. The agency's acting chief executive officer, John Mendoza, says the indications from the Lausanne meeting are that the IOC will surrender control of drug testing to the new world body. ""There has been a suggestion in some articles that ASDA's going to have a role,"" he said. ""We have nothing to verify that. I think our role will be simply to continue pressing for an open transparent and accountable process in which athletes' rights are protected along the lines of what we've put in the report to the IOC on the existing result management process and where it needs some improvement."" -----------------------------------"

" The founder of software giant Microsoft, Bill Gates, has announced he is standing down. He has told a press conference in Redmond, Washington that he is turning over the post of chief executive officer to the company's number two, Steve Ballmer. However Mr Gates says he will remain chairman of the board. He has told reporters that he would spend ""almost 100 per cent of my time as a chief software architect."" ---------------------------------"

" Australian ocean researchers have discovered important new underwater petroleum deposits just off the coast of Tasmania. Scientist Peter Hill, who has just returned from mapping the seabed around Tasmania, says several new areas of petroleum have been identified, including the Port Davey Basin and the Coles Bay area. He says special sonar equipment allowed scientists to survey up to five kilometres under the seabed, where the petroleum deposits were found. The research was done by the Australian Geological Survey Office as part of the Federal Government's oceans policy. ----------------------------------"

" New research shows burglars are more likely to break into homes on a Friday than any other day. Sunday is the least popular day for robberies. The study was carried out by insurance company SGIC in conjunction with the NRMA. It found Friday was the highest risk day, accounting for 17 per cent of all burglaries. SGIC manager Bruce Sheldrick says most burglars prefer Friday because more people are socialising after work, giving intruders extra time to steal from a home. Monday and Saturday are also popular among robbers, with Sunday considered the least favourite day. -------------------------------"

" In the United States, the Justice Department has dismissed as ""inaccurate"", reports that it plans to seek the break up of software giant Microsoft. According to USA Today, anti-trust prosecutors had settled a long-standing internal dispute on what remedies the government could seek against Microsoft. But while the department has not denied that a decsion has been reached, it says there are serious inaccuracies in the suggestion that it wanted to Microsoft split into separate companies - one selling the famous Windows licencing system, a second handling applications such as its office programs and possibly a third to deal with Microsoft's web holdings. The Federal Government and a number of states took Microsoft to Federal Court over its tactics against a rival Internet company, Netscape. In November, the judge issued a scathing finding of facts in the case, accusing the company of abusing its position but no final ruling or remedy has been announced. ---------------------------"

" The Seven Television Network is teaming up with a US Internet player in a deal to develop online and broadband businesses in Australia. Seven has today named NBC Internet Incorporated as its partner in the venture. NBC Internet is 47 per cent owned by General Electric's NBC, which has maintained a news and programming relationship with Seven for almost 40 years. On the Australian Stock Exchange, Seven Network shares have been as high as $5.58, but were up just 13 cents just after 11:00am AEDT, at $5.42 in a market that is a little weaker overall. ----------------------------------"

" The Westpac Bank is standing by its warning that official interest rates will move much higher this year than earlier predicted. The bank believes its revised outlook has been bolstered by the latest reading of consumer confidence. The start of the Year 2000 has been characterised by global stockmarket volatility and fears of rising interest rates. Despite this the Westpac/Melbourne Institute index of consumer sentiment has risen 2.9 per cent for January. Westpac senior economist John Peters says ongoing falls in the national jobless rate are buoying the mood of Australian households. And he says consumer activity will continue to be a driver of above-trend economic growth. ---------------------------------"

" Thousands of small businesses will today begin receiving vouchers which are meant to offset the cost of the goods and services tax (GST). The Federal Opposition says the $200 vouchers are an insult and a farce. It is estimated the cost of moving to the new tax system will be around $7,000 for the average small business. The Government last year set aside more than $500 million to help with the transition. ---------------------------------"

" The air search on the Great Barrier Reef for an American tourist missing since Tuesday has been scaled down. Ursula Clutton, 80, disappeared while snorkelling on Agincourt Reef, north-east of Port Douglas, on Tuesday. Brian Hill from Australian Search and Rescue says Queensland Police now take over the search. ""Australian Search and Rescue has conducted a very extensive search covering approximately 700 square nautical miles,"" he said. ""There's been four aircraft, there's been navy divers, unfortunately we've found nothing and the search has now been handed back to the Queensland Police."" Mrs Clutton was reported missing after staff of a dive company conducted a head count of passengers before leaving Agincourt Reef. ----------------------------------"

" Environmental group Greenpeace says it is likely a shipment of nuclear reactor fuel, which is being returned to Britain from Japan, will travel past Australia. A Japanese nuclear power company is sending the fuel back because its British manufactuers falsified quality control data. It is the second time British Nuclear Fuels has falsified information about the fuel which was to be used at the power company's Takahama plant. Greenpeace's Jean McSorley says the return shipment will pass through the South Pacific and Tasman Sea. Ms McSorley has condemned the decision to return the cargo saying the shipment poses a significant environmental threat. --------------------------------"

" Australian scientists have uncovered new underwater volcanoes and rich petroleum deposits off south-east Australia. A research vessel has just returned from a two-week voyage from Lord Howe Island to the Great Australian Bight. Using sophisticated sonar technology, scientists have been able to map ocean depths of up to 5,000-metres for the first time. Releasing the findings today, chief scientist Peter Hill says in the past two weeks they have learnt more about the ocean floor than in the last 50 years. The research was carried out by the Australian Geological Survey organisation, as part of the Federal Government's national oceans policy. -----------------------------------"

" Two pilots have combined their efforts to break the distance record for tandem paragliding in New South Wales' north. Manilla based Godfrey Weness, and his co-pilot Suzi Smith, took off from Mount Borah to fly 223 kilometres in 7.15 hours. The couple flew at heights of up to 3,000 metres to achieve the record, and landed 100 kilometres west of Moree. It is the first time in the sport's history that a pilot has held both the solo and tandem open distance world records at the same time. In 1998 Mr Weness flew 335 kilometres across northern New South Wales to break the existing record for solo paragliding. -------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister, John Howard, says his government will this year shift its focus from tax reform to social policy. Mr Howard has singled out the Job Network and drugs policy as important government achievements. Writing for The Australian newspaper, Mr Howard is keen to emphasis what he calls bedrock institutions - the family and old values such as personal responsibility. He says the Government will continue to nurture the concept of a social coalition, where business, government and the community work together to help the disadvantaged. But he says at the root of such a coalition is mutual obligation - flagging more changes to how welfare recipients will pay their way in society. He says the Job Network is one of the most creative social initiatives ever attempted in an OECD country and also points to the government's tough on drugs strategy, which he says has brought community organisations to the policy-making table. -----------------------------------"

" Unions will push ahead with a 24-hour strike at BHP's Port Kembla steelworks in New South Wales tonight, despite being ordered by the Industrial Relations Commission (IRC) to call it off. BHP yesterday succeeded in having the order granted, claiming the strike will cost it $3 million in lost earnings and jeopardise its market share. The ruling remains in place for the next three months and also covers a stoppage planned at the Sydney Steel Mills this Friday. However the Australian Workers Union (AWU) and four other unions will defy the direction, in an attempt to force BHP to abandon plans to place iron ore workers in the Pilbara region on individual contracts. The AWU's Andrew Whiley dismissed the company's claims in the commission that fruit growers may have to plough produce into the ground if manufacturers are not supplied with enough canning tin because of the strike. ""Well it's a fairly alarmist statement by employers and I've heard a lot of alarmist statements by employers about what will happen if workers go on strike,"" he said. ""I take all those comments with a grain of salt, let's wait and see."" Meanwhile BHP has warned the AWU it will take legal action if the industrial action continues. The company's human resources manager, Rob Crawford, says the strikes by the steel division will not stop the company from continuing to pursue individual contracts for its iron ore staff in Western Australia. Mr Crawford says BHP cannot standby while it and its customer's businesses are damaged. ""While ever the campaign continues and our steel business suffers we then we have little alternative but to take the next step and bring the damaging campaign to an end,"" he said. When asked what the next step may be, Mr Crawford said, ""I'm not prepared at this stage to disclose which remedy we will pursue but suffice to say we will take the appropriate remedy to bring this matter to an end"". --------------------------------"

" A meeting on Queensland's Gold Coast is drafting standards which will govern the use of or digital video discs (DVDs) in personal computers. Representatitves of Japanese and American firms are discussing the future of DVD technology at Surfers Paradise. Convenor, Del Allan says within two years, consumers will be able to use DVDs with much more flexibility than is currently available. ""You will be able to buy a DVD drive that you will be able to write to as well as read from,"" he said. ""For example, you can go on vacation and you take a bunch of video. You can either send a video to a friend which you duplicate if you have two camcorders or you can bring it into your computer, edit it, create yourself a nice little family story of the vacation and send it off to a bunch of relatives in a DVD,"" Mr Allan said. ----------------------------------"

" The Australian Cancer Society has launched a gruesome national TV advertising campaign to try to shock people into avoiding skin cancer. The society says Australia has about 1,000 skin cancer-related deaths per year - the highest rate in the world. The commercial graphically depicts how a cancerous mole spreads to other parts of the body, before being cut out by a surgeon. Professor Ian Olver, from the Royal Adelaide Hospital, says it likens skin cancer to a time bomb. Sunsmart's Craig Sinclair says the commercial is aimed at the young people who still see a suntan as a fashion accessory. ""A commerical like this is graphic, because we know that it works with the target group,"" he said. The 30 second advertisement will be aired nationally from tonight. --------------------------------------"

" The Internet company America Online (AOL) is set to acquire Time Warner, the world's largest media and entertainment company, for more than $500 billion in stock. It has being described as the biggest corporate merger ever, and indicates that the Internet will be one of the most dominant features of the media landscape of the future. Under the terms outlined overnight, AOL will take 55 per cent of the holdings in the new company AOL Time Warner, with each side appointing half the new board of directors. Time Warner executives say the combination will allow greater distribution opportunities for their media. Meanwhile, AOL says the link up will add enormous value to the online services currently available to its subscribers. ""We are very excited about joining forces with Time Warner because we share a common vision for the future,"" America Online's chairman and chief executive Steve Case said. ""Time Warner is the first major media company to not only recognise, but fully embrace the new interactive world. Together we can change the future for the better."" Time Warner's chairman Gerald Levin says the two companies are a natural fit. ""I am a broadband person, I am an interactive guy, I have been building networks all my life,"" he said. ""And this really provides the opportunity, just as we are in this remarkable digital century and Internet world, to bring the bearer of everything from communications to content to distribution together in really a socially-meaningful way."" The shareprice of Times Warner soared at the news, which also sparked a wider rally in technology stocks, investors hoping this will leading to further mergers in the industry. Shareholders have yet to approve the deal, which will also require anti-trust clearance from federal regulators. ------------------------------------"

" The company at the centre of Australia's largest fuel contamination problem says compensation for the aviation industry will take some time to sort out. Up to 5,000 planes have been grounded until they are cleared of problems caused by contaminated fuel that was supplied by Mobil late last year. The Civil Aviation Safety Authority says testing and cleaning of the planes could take anywhere between a week and more than a month. Mobil spokesman Alan Bailey admits it is a major problem for the aviation industry. ""The issue of compensation and so on is really something that has to be dealt with in the future, it's not something that we can resolve at this point in time,"" he said. ""Our main focus is on the safety of our customers and their aircraft operations and doing what we can to get them back into the air safely as soon as is possible. ""There's a lot of work that's obviously going to need to be done."" ----------------------------------"

" Australian cycling champion Tracey Gaudry has been forced out of a race at Sorrento tomorrow after a crash involving some of Australia's top women cyclists. On Sunday afternoon an out of control car ploughed into a group of 16 riders on the Melbourne to Geelong Highway. Five of them were knocked off their bikes. One suffered a broken wrist, while Gaudry has severe bruising to most of her body. She still hopes to defend her national crown at the Australian Championships at Portarlington in Victoria on Sunday. ""The body's pretty battered,"" she said. ""I've got a lot of contusions and muscle damage in terms of spasms but I don't have any broken bones which I attribute to obviously a very good upbringing, lots of calcium. ""The head took a bit of a bash so I'm quite headachy but the big problem for me is the mind in terms of images of the accident and just the danger of the nature of our sport. ""So that's something that will heal in time and the body hopefully will heal before this weekend,"" Gaudry said."

" Freed CARE Australia worker Branko Jelen has been officially welcomed to Australia by the Governor-General after an emotional reunion with colleagues Steve Pratt and Peter Wallace. Mr Jelen arrived with his wife and two children at Canberra airport this morning. Yugoslav citizen Branko Jelen was arrested with fellow CARE Australia workers Steve Pratt and Peter Wallace as they tried to cross the Yugoslav border during the Kosovo crisis last year. The two Australians were released from a Belgrade military prison in September and have been working for Mr Jelen's release since. Mr Pratt, who lives in Canberra, says he will keep in close contact with Mr Jelen who plans to live in the Australian Capital Territory. ""We're in a good position to do as much as we can to get him oriented and settled down,"" Mr Pratt said. Mr Jelen has been welcomed by the Governor-General Sir William Deane at Government House where he has removed a yellow ribbon tied to a balcony while he remained in jail. Mr Jelan says it will take some time to come to terms with his nine month ordeal. ""It's very hard to speak about that after all this time and I'm not ready yet to speak about all that,"" he said. ----------------------------------"

" Queensland Premier Peter Beattie has announced that two by-elections in State seats in the south-east will be held on Saturday, February 5. Peter Beattie visited the Governor in Brisbane this morning before announcing the date. He says the by-elections in the Labor held seats of Woodridge and Bundamba will be tough political battles. The Government must win both by-elections to secure its one-seat majority. -------------------------------------"

" Snowtown, in South Australia's mid-north, which gained infamy from the discovery of eight bodies in its former bank last year, is to get a public relations makeover. Residents have spoken to an Adelaide-based public relations firm to help improve the town's image. Chris Rann, of Rann Communications, says about two-thirds of residents are concerned about the commercialisation of the town following the events that took place there. He says residents are looking for ideas to move forward in a positive way. ""You may be able to create some positive distractions and do some things which make the people of Snowtown feel better about themselves and perhaps attract people to the town for reasons other than the horific association with the event that occurred there,"" he said. -------------------------------------"

" Christians and Muslims on Indonesia's troubled eastern island of Ambon are bracing themselves for more sectarian violence a year after the hostility between them began. On nearby islands, thousands of people continue to flee their homes, fearing more fighting. The death toll after a year of fighting has reached more than 1,500. There is an uneasy calm in Ambon City at the end of the Muslim fasting month Ramadan. The city is divided into heavily guarded Christian and Muslim sectors. The business centre is already in ruins - a tangle of metal, broken glass and rubble, with no early plans to rebuild. In neighbouring North Maluku Province thousands of refugees continue to pour into the city of Ternate fearing sectarian violence on surrounding islands. Indonesia's popular Vice-President Megawati Sukarnoputri has defended her government's lack of initiative in solving the crisis. Her latest response is that Christians and Muslims themselves must take on the responsibility to find peace. *******************************************************************"

" Obstetricians and gynaecologists want the Federal Health Minister to justify cuts to rebates for pregnant women. They have been told the Government rebate for early term pregnancy ultrasounds will be reduced from $80 to $30 on February 1, but no reason has been given. Chairman of the Australian Association of Obstetric and Gynaecological Ultrasonologists, Victor Hurley, says it appears to be a reaction to the budget blowout from MRI machine rebates. He is urging the Government not to force up the cost of ultrasounds when abnormalities are now being detected much earlier in pregnancy. ""It's now also possible to pick up a majority of foetuses that are carrying major chromosome abnormalities, particularly Down's Syndrome,"" he said. ""Once again this was a diagnosis that was previously only made much later in pregnancy and only a small proportion of major chromosome problems had previous been detected."" He says specialists can not provide the services any cheaper and costs will be passed onto women, meaning many will delay their first ultrasound by six weeks. ""If major problems are found then which have a significant impact on the pregnancy it's a catastrophic event. ""By bringing these examinations forward into the earlier months of pregnancy while the effects are still devastating I think it makes the process more acceptable and less traumatic to pregnant women."" ******************************************************************"

" The Federal Opposition says the Prime Minister should release a letter which alleged Latvian war criminal Konrad Kalejs claims to have received. Mr Kalejs says the letter from the Prime Minister states there is no proof of his having committed war crimes and there is therefore no reason to prosecute him. Acting Opposition leader Simon Crean says the letter may throw some light on the Government's attitude. ""If Mr Kalejs won't release the letter, then the Prime Minister should,"" Mr Crean said. ""Let's have a look at what the letter says. Let's have a look at when the letter was dated. But it's an interesting claim by Mr Kalejs. Let's have a look at it,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Federal Immigration Minister is preparing for another overseas campaign to curb the flow of people arriving on Australian shores illegally. Philip Ruddock is about to embark on a visit to the Middle East, following the recent influx of illegal arrivals from the region. Mr Ruddock will visit Jordan, Syria, Turkey, Iran and Pakistan. He says he hopes to provide the governments with information on people smuggling operations. ""We certainly need to ensure that those people who are involved in this insidious people smuggling and trafficking in people is something that is dealt with. ""I hope that the intelligence information we've received here from people that have come, about the routes that they have taken, the people they have dealt with, will assist in helping to clamp down on some of that illegal activity."""

" Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh says he can understand why the national umpiring panel has spoken out against allegations of bias and racism from the touring Pakistan and Indian teams. In a statement to team captains, officials and the match referee at a meeting in Brisbane yesterday, umpire Darrell Hair said any complaints about umpiring should be made to the match referee or not at all. Australian Cricket Board chief executive Malcolm Speed has criticised the move, but Waugh says he can understand the umpires' frustration as they have a tough job. ""You've got the snick-o-meter and then they're showing lb's all the time and they're showing replays and they've got the big screen at the ground so there really is a lot of pressure on the umpires, not just from the players watching the replays but the whole crowd. ""If there is a mistake made they get magnified 10 times so it is difficult - I think everyone's more under the microscope. ""So perhaps what they're saying is probably right, they should get more respect."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Alleged Nazi war criminal Konrad Kalejs is back on Australian soil after arriving at Melbourne Airport last night. He was given a small but noisy reception by protestors at the airport. Nazi hunters accuse Konrad Kalejs of being an officer in a death squad in Latvia during World War II, responsible for the deaths of 30,000 people. Mr Kalejs arrived in Melbourne on a Singapore Airlines flight, enroute from England, where the 86-year-old Australian citizen had been living under a false name. He left before deportation. About 20 protesters staged a noisy demonstration at Melbourne airport as his plane touched down last night, but Mr Kalejs slipped away under escort through a restricted area. Mr Kalejs has denied there is any truth to the allegations against him."

" The Clinton administration's top anti-drugs campaigner says he is confident there will be an effective international doping agency in place before the Sydney Olympics. But he does not think the International Olympic Committee (IOC) should run it. The US drugs watchdog, Barry McCaffrey, says he believes any international doping agency needs to be independent and it cannot be that if it continues to be based at the IOC's headquarters in Lausanne. Mr McCaffrey was speaking in Lausanne ahead of next week's meeting of the world anti-doping agency (WADA). The WADA is currently headed by IOC vice president Richard Pound. Mr McCaffrey says he does not think that arrangement should continue either. ""Mr Pound needs to understand that this WADA has to get out of Lausanne and that he is only setting it up,"" he said. ""We need an agency that the athletes of the world think is independent and will act to create a drug-free Olympics."" He said he was confident the agency would move to another location before the Sydney Games begin in September. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Bill D'Arcy has announced his resignation from Queensland parliament. The Labor Member for Woodridge and Deputy Speaker has been under pressure to quit state politics for some time. Bill D'Arcy was at the centre of the ""net bet"" gaming scandal and even though he was eventually cleared of any wrongdoing, the ALP is keen to bring in new blood. Mr D'Arcy was first elected to state parliament in 1972 and says he is resigning because of ill health. ""Health has played a tremendous part in my decision, but also family and wanting to perhaps lead a much more private life than the media have let me over the last few years,"" he said. The Woodridge by-election is expected to be held on the same day as the Bundamba by-election which became vacant following the resignation of Bob Gibbs. He is taking up a state trade commission role in Los Angeles. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australian experts say a growing body of evidence is suggesting that breast cancer screening is reducing death rates, despite international research suggesting screening may not save lives. Research published in the prestigious Lancet journal has found that a number of international trials claiming as much as a 25 per cent reduction in the death rate are biased and unreliable. Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Australian women. But Dr Paul Jelfs, from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, says Australian screening programs are detecting more cancers, and deaths are showing a slight decline. ""At the moment we're loking at about 2,600 women dying of breast cancer each year, and round about 9,500 women being diagnosed,"" he said. ""We would look for a decline that would see, as the population grows, that those number of deaths actually holds relatively steady, so the risk of death actually declines."" -------------------------------------"

" The Queen will visit Australia in the last two weeks of March. The government has released the first details of her trip. The Queen's visit was confirmed last year but the acting Prime Minister John Anderson says she will arrive in Sydney on of March 17 with her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh. During the two week trip they will tour New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, the Australian Capital Territory and Western Australia, as well as a brief stopover in Alice Springs. The Queen says she intends to visit the remaining states when she returns for the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting next year. Mr Anderson says details of the visit are still being finalised, but he hopes it will be possible for the Queen to visit a number of regional areas. -----------------------------------"

" The United Nations Transitional Adminstration in East Timor says it is ready to take action against a Darwin businessman who has had his business license cancelled. Wayne Thomas was first asked in December to move his Timor Lodge, in a former army barracks in Dili, but the deadline was extended until last Monday. Mr Thomas claimed to have an agreement with the local owner of the site, but the UN disputes the ownership and says Mr Thomas needed its authorisation. A spokesperson for the United Nations administration, Refik Hodzic says Mr Thomas will be evicted, but he will not say when. ""We have already had our civil officers serve him the notice and verify his compliance, or non-compliance I should say, with the notice,"" he said. ""And we are ready to take necessary measures when we see them fit operationally."" ----------------------------------"

" The Young Liberals movement wants the Federal Government to remove all restrictions on cross media and foreign media investment in Australia. The motion was passed at the Young Liberals national conference on the Gold Coast. National president Marc Dale says delegates are concerned at the small number of media players in Australia, and they believe a relaxation of ownership laws would bring more people into the market. ""One of the things which needs to be trialled in this country is a removal of some of the regulations in order to allow for greater diversity in the media,"" he said. ""Now it is worth a try because the current situation is clearly not working. ""We've got a lot of dominance by a couple of key players and quite frankly there are only a limited number of people in Australia who have the capital or the interest in setting up a newspaper. ""So I think in relation to newspapers we have to consider some options offshore."" ------------------------------------"

" Researchers at Newcastle University are joining an international study looking into a possible genetic link between families who have lost a child to Sudden Infant Death Sydnrome (SIDS). Maree Gleeson, from the Hunter Immunology Unit, says research in Britain, France and Germany has found that some infants appear to have an over-reaction to infections, which could make them susceptible to SIDS. Doctor Gleeson says even if a genetic link can be found, the research will not replace current knowledge about how parents can reduce the risk of SIDS. ""They're extremely important, the risk factors that have been identified are absolutely critical that parents do follow those guidelines put out by the SIDS association,"" he said. ""Our research is not necessarily looking at the risk factors, many of which have been idenitified, we're looking at the underlying mechanism of the way these factors contribute to the susceptibility to SIDS."" -----------------------------------"

" One of the most acclaimed filmmakers in the German language, Bernhard Wicki, has died in Munich at the age of 80. The Swiss director, who co-directed the Hollywood war epic The Longest Day, died after a long illness. He began his career as an actor, but will be remembered as a director. In 1959 he made the highly regarded anti-war film Die Bruecke (The Bridge). Other films include The Visit with Ingrid Bergman and Anthony Quinn in 1964 and Morituri with Marlon Brando in 1965. ------------------------------------"

" The latest survey released by the New South Wales Chamber of Commerce has revealed business confidence in the State has risen to its highest point in four years. The Saint George Bank survey for the December quarter involved 445 businesses from every industry sector in New South Wales. Chamber chief executive Katie Lahey attributes the high level of business confidence to higher employment, rises in consumer spending and investment and the recovery of export sales. ""I think businesses are starting to settle down a bit now with the GST,"" she said. ""They realise the reality and they are starting to make some investment decisions based on a world with GST. ""Some sectors are travelling particularly well, the finance and insurance sectors, property and business services have had a particularly good quarter and are looking forward to the next one."" ------------------------------------"

" Young Liberals are calling for a national memorial to be built in Canberra to commemorate Aboriginal communities destroyed by European colonisation. A federal Young Liberals conference beginning on the Gold Coast today will debate the proposal. The motion, put forward by the New South Wales branch, proposes the monument should recognise past injustices to indigenous people and be used as an educational tool for achieving reconciliation. It says it should include the names of tribes and other indigenous communities which were wiped out by colonisation and that it should be completed by next year's Centenary of Federation. The Gold Coast conference will also debate a motion calling on the Federal Government to shelve plans to restrict information on the Internet. Delegates will also consider the pros and cons of heroin trials and injecting rooms. ------------------------------------"

" More than half of the 4,000 light aircraft affected in the contaminated fuel scare remain grounded since Christmas. Sydney-based lawyer Spencer Ferrier says he is planning a ""representative action"" against the oil company, Mobil, on behalf of aircraft owners and pilots. Mr Ferrier, who is collecting evidence over the AV-GAS fuel scare, says the scare has seriously affected the aviation business. ""We are going to run this as a representative action,"" he said. ""It's quite clear there is very much a common problem and if we can demonstrate the cause of the common problem, then anyone who suffered damage as a result of having that would be able to run a separate action. ""That saves a lot of legal fooling around that is necessary in the running of a class action case."" Mobil has promised to provide compensation to some light aircraft owners affected by the fuel scare within five days of claims being approved. The contaminated fuel scare is estimated to have cost the aviation industry more than $50 million. -----------------------------------"

" Sydney Festival organisers appear set to make up for last year's losses with pre-festival ticket sales at their highest level in the event's 24-year history. Last year's takings from Sydney's annual summer season of local and international performances and exhibitions failed to meet costs. This year's festival gets under way on Saturday - a week later than normal - with Japanese drummers, Dutch dancers and a German opera leading the bill. The festival's Virginia Lovett says the later opening date has helped boost this year's ticket sales. ""We opened on the 2nd last year, people were still on holiday,"" she said. ""I think having that week-and-a-half after Christmas, people are focused. They've said 'right, festival is opening soon' and they've bought a lot of tickets in the last couple of days."" ------------------------------------"

" Australia's Jelena Dokic has suffered a surprise defeat in her opening match of the Hopman Cup tennis event in Perth, losing to Thailand's Tamarine Tanasugarn in straight sets. Tanasugarn won 6-1, 6-4 to give Thailand a 1-0 lead over the defending champions. ""My return is one of my good weapons too,"" she said. ""So I just try to concentrate on my game serve too because that's a key thing, so I just try and concentrate and focus."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's female beach volleyballers have been told they can ignore an international directive which instructs them to wear skimpy bikinis during competition. The Australian beach volleyball tour has decided competitors can decide what to wear during competition. The tour's Craig Carracher says this may lead to some athletes wearing less than the International requirements. ""Many athletes actually wear uniforms well and truly within the skimpy requirements that the international federation have imposed,"" he said. ""In fact the six centimetre rule, as it's been called for the bikini line, is in fact quite large really against what some of the women wear here - they're down to three and four centimetres."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" A Coffs Harbour man who was part of a group attacked on a recent tour to Papua New Guinea's Kokoda Track says the trekkers were unaware of the risks involved. Builder Phillip Pinch was part of a group that was ambushed and robbed by a local gang on New Year's Day at the start of the track. He says his wife was shot at in a terrifying attack and there were no official warnings about the dangers of using the Kokoda Track. ""We were not aware of any risks involved in this, the expatriates we were with, and people who had lived there for 30 years and weren't aware of any risks,"" he said. ""And only after returning to Australia and speaking to the Department of Foreign Affairs were we aware that they had issued a warning on their web site, that was never available to the media."" ------------------------------------"

" The national holiday road toll has moved to 59 after three fatal car accidents in Victoria during the night. A 19-year-old South Clayton man was killed when his vehicle ran off the road at Keysborough, in Melbourne's south-east, at about 10-30 last night. The car hit a power pole and then a concrete barrier, before bursting into flames. A 16-year-old boy was also injured in the accident. An 18-year-old woman was killed when her car ran into a tree at St Albans, in Melbourne's north-west. Police say another man was killed - also in a single vehicle accident - at Ballarat. The deaths take Victoria's holiday road toll to 15 while New South Wales still has the highest number of deaths at 18. Queensland has recorded nine deaths on the road during the holiday period, while South Australia has recorded five, WA and the ACT four deaths each, the Northern Territory three and Tasmania one. ----------------------------------"

" The United States is continuing to criticise Russia's handling of the Chechen war, although Washington remains guarded in its comments on acting President Vladimir Putin. US secretary of state Madeleine Albright has accused Russia of wanton action against civilians in Chechnya, and says its offensive is likely to be counter productive. She says Mr Putin is riding a tiger in his direction of the war, but says it is important that the US maintains a productive relationship with the new President. ""He is a tough person. He is somebody that is very determined, action-oriented,"" she said. ""I think we're going to have to watch his actions very carefully. But I think we've got to be really careful here not to recreate an enemy."" Meanwhile, Mrs Albright says no deal has been sealed between Israel and Syria in advance of a new round of talks set to begin in the US tomorrow. ------------------------------------"

" The New South Wales Chamber of Commerce is warning businesses not to become too complacent over the lack of major Y2K based computer failures. The Federal Government's National Coordination Centre says key services in Australia continue to operate normally. But the chamber's Katey Lahey says the real danger period begins tomorrow. ""The test will be this week and most of the rest of this week when businesses start to go back to work,"" she said. ""And we are really saying to businesses you do have to test your systems to make sure you have survived Y2K. ""You need to make sure your computers are free of viruses, that you have not been contaminated, and that hackers haven't got into your system over this period."" ----------------------------------"

" The Justice Minister Amanda Vanstone says the Federal Government will not stop alleged war criminal Konrad Kalejs from returning to Australia. The 86-year-old Australian citizen reportedly wants to return to Australia from Britain following pressure from the Simon Wiesenthal Centre which claims he collaborated with the Nazis to murder thousands of Latvians - claims denied by Mr Kalejs. The centre also claims he lied on his immigration documents to gain Australian citizenship. Senator Vanstone says that is an issue for Immigration officials but in the meantime Mr Kalejs is innocent until proven guilty. ""The Australian Government's attitude to any citizen is that they are innocent of anything until they are proven guilty,"" she said. ""It's no secret that Mr Kalejs was the subject of investigation and sufficient information wasn't found to proceed with a prosecution."""

" However, the Federal Government has rejected claims that Australia could become a safe haven for suspected Nazi war criminals. The Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, says all migrants who now come to Australia must say whether they have been involved in offences against humanity. ""If people fail to disclose those matters to us it would obviously enable us to question then their immigration status in Australia,"" Mr Ruddock said. ""So any suggestion that Australia could become a haven to war criminals is obviously quite fallacious."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The British Government has told an Australian man, accused of being a Nazi war criminal, that it intends to deport him. Konrad Kalejs has previously been deported from the United States and Canada. Konrad Kalejs has been served with a notice stating that the British Government intends to deport him to Australia, because his presence in the United Kingdom is not conducive to the public good. Mr Kalejs, who has been living at a retirement home in central England since September last year, has a week to appeal. The 86-year-old is accused of being a leading member of a Nazi death squad in Latvia, responsible for the murder of more than 30,000 Jews - a charge he denies. The Nazi-hunting Simon Wiesenthal Centre in Jerusalem has expressed disappointment that Britain decided not to prosecute Mr Kalejs under the UK's war crimes legislation. But the government says a police investigation uncovered insufficient evidence for a prosecution. Meanwhile back home, the Federal Government is about to be called on to investigate allegations an Australian citizen is a Nazi war criminal. The Simon Wiesenthal Centre says the man, who was an officer in the a German Police Battalion, was allegedly involved in the mass murder of civilians in the Belarus region in 1941. The centre has told the ABC it will be handing the information over to the Federal Government within the next two days. Immigration Minister Phillip Ruddock says the matter should be dealt with by the Australian Federal Police. ""It is, certainly in my view, better that rather than assertions being made in the public media about individuals that evidence, if it's there, be provided to the relevant authorities and that those investigations be allowed to proceed properly and appropriately,"" he said. -----------------------------------"

" Indian Prime Minister Athel Bihari Vajpayee has called on the international community to declare Pakistan a terrorist state. It has accused Islamabad of masterminding the hijacking of an Indian jet. The hijacking ended on New Year's Eve when New Delhi agreed to release three jailed pro-Kashmiri militants. The call came as a bomb explosion in Kashmir killed 17 people. Speaking to reporters Mr Vajpayee blamed Pakistan for masterminding the eight day hostage crisis. New Delhi agreed to swap 160 hostages on board the Indian airliner for three Kashmiri separatist leaders in prison in India. Mr Vajpayee accuses Pakistan of an active and sustained role in fermenting terrorism in India. Pakistan denies any involvement in the hijacking drama and says it will arrest the hijackers if they are found in Pakistan. -----------------------------------"

" Australian batsman Justin Langer will be aiming to score his first double century in Test cricket today, when play begins on day three of the third Test against India at the SCG. Australia will resume on 4 for 331, with Langer on 167 and Ricky Ponting 34. That is in reply to India's 150. Langer says his side's big lead is a significant advantage on a wicket with still plenty of life in it. ""I think that's a great sign for us because if I'm still playing and missing at 150 there's a lot of life in the wicket, it's a new ball wicket and if we can get enough runs ahead I think the Indians are going to have a very hard time batting on it with the new ball,"" he said."

" The Federal Government has warned that problems caused by the Y2K bug could take at least three months to fix. The Parliamentary Secretary for Communications, Ian Campbell, predicts there will be some Y2K problems in Australia, but nothing serious enough to affect the economy or lives. He has also warned some Y2K problems might not emerge until well into the new year, with February 29 likely to trigger more problems. ""The year 1900 wasn't a leap year, the year 2000 is, so even if for example a computer is able to operate through the change from 1999 to 00 some of them may well find a problem when they get to the 29th of February because it won't recognise that date,' Senator Campbell said. ""That's another example of what could cause problems, so we'll be on alert for quite a few weeks,"" he said. He says the only guarantee he can give is that there will be Y2K glitches in Australia. The Federal Government is setting up a national headquarters in Canberra from tonight, to oversee any emergencies from power blackouts or other failures. ""My advice is that...there will probably be Y2K remediation work going on focused on at least the next quarter, and could well be right throughout the year, because people will discover errors that have been made as they occur over coming months,"" Senator Campbell said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" As attempts to discover the whereabouts of the five men who hikacked an Indian Airlines plane continue, the pilot has spoken of his ordeal. Devi Sharan says he was ordered by the hijackers to crash land the Airbus A-300 in Pakistan if permission to refuel in Lahore had been refused. Captain Sharan says the men were so well-armed any attempt to overpower them would have been useless. ""That guy was the chief, who came first in the cockpit. Then I saw a third man and in total I counted five. So everybody was reporting to him...they were actually telling that everything was under control,"" he said. The hijackers disappeared from Kandahar airport in Afghanistan, after setting free more than 150 hostages, having earlier killed one of them. *******************************************************************"

" Homeowners have begun cleaning up damage from a flash flood that struck the Pilbara town of Newman overnight. Almost 60 millimetres of rain fell in a four-hour period from midnight, flooding about 20 homes to a depth of up to a metre. Senior Constable Dave Curtis says the town was caught unprepared by the rains. Many people were unable to erect protective sandbags that saved a number of homes during flooding after Cyclone John in December. Constable Curtis says the floodwaters have begun receding. ""We've just been checking around the highways to see what normal floodways are like,"" he said. ""They seem to be pretty good and they're dropping pretty well. ""In town most of the areas have receded fairly well, there is a lot of rubbish lying around, a bit of silt and all the rest."" ******************************************************************"

" A dangerous fire at a Victorian power station in the La Trobe Valley in Gippsland has been brougt under control. It broke out at the Hazelwood Power Station shortly before 8:00am AEDT in the number four power generator after a liquid coupling failed on the conveyor system. Seventy-five volunteer firefighters faced fireballs which hampered their attempts to put out the blaze. The company has closed two of its eight generators as a safety precaution. ******************************************************************"

" Fears of a major oil spill off the Victorian coast have been allayed after an aerial survey this morning. Oil has come ashore at the Nobbies on Phillip Island and at Point Leo on Westernport. Authorities are trying to find an unidentified ship which illegally discharged an oily substance off the coast near Westernport. One penguin has died from contact with the oil and three terns are being cared for in the animal hospital at the Phillip Island Nature Reserve. The Western Port Harbour Master and Regional Incident Controller, Dick Cox, surveyed the scene by helicopter this morning. ""It's not a big spill, [there's] nothing visible from the air and we're going to do a beach assessment,"" he said. ""I've got people on the beaches on Mornington Peninsula side of Westernport Bay checking the beaches. Parks rangers are checking their beaches and we're doing an assessment on Phillip Island."" Acting Minister for Ports Sherryl Garbutt says all relevant authorities are taking part in the operation. ""The Maritime Safety Authority has responsibility for the discharge, Parks Victoria for cleaning up along the shoreline and EPA [Environment Protection Authority] for prosecuting any offending vessels,"" she said. *******************************************************************"

" A Supreme Court injuction has failed to stop a group of bushwalkers hiking to the top of Mount Warning in far northern New South Wales. An Aboriginal group wanted to stop last night's hike by 60 bushwalkers and 12 National Parks officers, saying it would desecrate a sacred area. A solicitor for the Bundjalung Tribe won a interim injunction from a Supreme Court Judge to close the site from between 2:00am and midday. However, the order was unable to be served. Tribe spokesman John Roberts says he is angry that the wishes of his people have been ignored. ""It's impossible for them to manage and stop desecration of 72 people on a mountain, on a small area,"" he said. ""It's just impossible and not only that there are stones and everything else missing from the top of the mountain, stones that's been there for years, hundreds of years."" The tribe will apply to have Mount Warning placed under the Federal Heritage Protection Act. They will apply to Federal Environment and Heritage Minister, Robert Hill, for a permanent order to protect their sacred site. John Roberts says trust between his people and the National Parks Service has been shattered. ""It doesn't say anything for reconciliation, it puts one big hole in reconciliation. There is no way that my people can even look at national parks and try and trust them with the handling of our sites and sacred places, we can't trust these people,"" he said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Australian Medical Association (AMA) says the start of a new year is the right time to fight fat. The average Australian is now gaining one gram of body fat a day. AMA Queensland president Beres Wenck says as the population runs to fat it will have a devastating impact socially and financially with increases in heart disease, diabetes, cancer and depression. ""So what we're doing is proposing to move in the millennium,"" Dr Wenck said. ""We used to have this 'Life be in it' campaign and we need some slogan or motto or New Year's resolution to actually start us moving. We seem to have got lazier and slower over the past decade."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Three 16-year-old girls missing in a conservation park 80 kilometres south of Adelaide have been found safe and well. Constable Mark Jarman says there were serious concerns for the three teenagers who had set off for a bushwalk yesterday afternoon in the Deep Creek Conservation Park with little food and water. ""All three of them were winched to safety by the Rescue One Helicopter and taken back to the park rangers' headquarters where they're being treated by ambulance personnel,"" he said. ""There's no injury, just a few cuts and scratches and they're a little bit shaken up but all-in-all they're quite fit and well. ""They lost their way during the night. They'd just been crawling round in the scrub for quite some time and lost their coordinates and hence they've become lost."" *****************************************************************"

" Australia has woken up after the Christmas-New Year's Eve period to its worst ever credit hangover. The nation owes credit card companies a record $13.5 billion. The Australian Consumers Association's Mara Bun says there are a few key messages for people who may have spent too much. ""Now that we are through the [Christmas-New Year] period, for some people who are able to pay off these levels [of] debt, absolutely do, because [the credit card rate of] 15, 16 per cent is very high as an interest rate,"" Ms Bun said. ""For those who have greater difficulty [paying off the debt it's] time to plan to really work your way through the problems, because doing nothing is never really a good solution,"" she said. ******************************************************************"

" Former Beatle George Harrison is due to undergo tests today after which doctors will decide whether he is fit to return home. The 56-year-old musician spent the new century's eve in a west London hospital where he is being treated following a knife attack. His wife Olivia spent yesterday by his bedside. A 33-year-old man has appeared in court charged with the attempted murder of Mr Harrison and his wife. Michael Abram is to be detained at a medium secure psychiatric unit under the Mental Health Act. Mr Harrison was stabbed in the chest when he tackled an intruder at his home early on Thursday. He was saved from more serious injury when his wife hit the attacker over the head with a table lamp, knocking him unconscious. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Australia's business sector is urging the government to continue its reform agenda this year. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI) has acknowledged the year 2000 will not be easy because of the slowing economy and the introduction in July of the GST. But it says the government must focus on more changes to industrial relations and reform of the welfare sector. Chamber chief executive, Mark Paterson, says business investment also needs a boost. ""It has been slowing, we're not seeing overly robust levels of investment growth, we've already seen businesses curtail some of their investment decisions as a result of the moves that have been already made by the Reserve Bank,"" he said. ""We'd hope that there are no further moves by the bank to further curtail investment."" ------------------------------------"

" The national road toll has risen to 55 after a further two people were killed on New South Wales roads. One man died in hospital today from injuries sustained when he was hit by a car in the Newcastle suburb of Newlambton, on New Year's Day. Another man has been killed this afternoon in an accident on the New England Highway, in the Northern Tablelands. New South Wales continues to have the greatest number of fatalities with 18, followed by 11 in Victoria and eight in Queensland. Western Australia and South Australia have each recorded five deaths, the ACT four, the Northern Territory three and Tasmania one. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Prime Minister says Australia enters the new century with greater cause for hope and optimism than any other nation. Mr Howard has delivered an upbeat New Year's message to all Australians. Mr Howard says Australia goes into 2000 with an economy stronger than it has been for decades, with robust growth, low inflation and interest rates, and falling unemployment. He says the new tax system will deliver even more benefits. ""It will make us even more competitive in the world,"" he said. But Mr Howard says by far the nation's greatest asset is its spirit as a people. And he has appealed to all Australians to draw on their goodwill, perseverance and patience to help each other and those who are less fortunate, and strive for reconciliation with indigenous people. ""It is from that spirit that we derive the sense of mateship displayed to each other in times of crisis,"" Mr Howard said. The Opposition Leader, Kim Beazley, says all Australians should feel pride in the past as the nation enters the new millennium. Mr Beazley says his overriding message for the new year is one of optimism. He says his year 2000 wish is for happiness for all Australians and the chance for them to aspire to whatever they want. ""With a thoroughgoing understanding that nothing is easy, and that it were for us to build the sort of future we want, will mean that all of us have to have the opportunity to contribute from the skills we're capable of. And for those of us who aspire to be in government or are in government, that's got to be our principle focus,"" he said. The Governor-General, Sir William Deane, says the biggest challenge for Australia next century is to bring people closer together and bridge the gap between the haves and have nots. ------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Crowds are building around Sydney's foreshores for New Year's Eve celebrations. Sydney will host the largest firworks display the country has seen to mark the dawn of the year 2000. Thousands of people have lined Sydney Harbour foreshore since early today to secure vantage spots, while boats are anchoring in their positions. Crowds are also turning out for Melbourne's biggest firework display, to be launched from high-rise buildings and sites around the city. Revellers are flocking to Cottesloe Beach, Perth's focal point for year 2000 celebrations. Brisbane's Southbank display looks set to attract 150,000 people, while Victoria Square in Adelaide is luring people with music and visual arts, despite a no-alcohol rule. Alcohol has also been prohibited from the streets of Darwin, but they will be serving drinks at two city street parties, with organisers expecting 25,000 people Hundreds of Aboriginal people will gather at the base of Uluru this evening and at dawn tomorrow, to welcome in the New Year, with traditional dancing and ceremonies. At sunset, the traditional owners of the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park will dance - a performance to be broadcast nationally and overseas. Jo-anne Wilmott from the park's board says Aboriginal people are using the broadcasts to show the world the strength of their culture. ""For them they want to share their cultural heritage, the really powerful and enriching experience of being of one on this country sharing it with the rest of Australia as well as the rest of the world says to them that this is the point in time that we need to start sharing,"" she said. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The Y2K bug may have been a fizzer, but experts say the biggest downer may be all the money Australia spent making itself compliant. Australia spent $12 billion planning and testing public utilities. Y2K expert from RMIT University, Dr Graham Marsh, says the figures seem even worse when you compare them to the rest of the world. ""So far, those countries who've spent much less per capita have actually had just as little impact with Y2K as we have,"" Dr Marsh said. ""I suppose you can say it's a fizzer that we've spent $500 per person, someone was saying last night, in Australia and nothing went wrong."" Many small business operators will not know whether the Y2K bug will affect them until they return to work this week. But Y2K experts are downplaying the chance of major problems. Dr Marsh, says it is good the bug has, so far, left Australia unaffected. ""It's less exciting, but it's certainly a good thing that it's fizzed I think, because there could have been repurcussions around the world, economically, socially, health-wise. ""People could have had life support systems fail on them. There could have been major accidents, but none of that has occurred so far. So that's great,"" he said. The New South Wales Government has defended the money spent to protect the state against potential computer malfunctions, saying Y2K was a problem which could not be ignored. The government will continue to monitor for the Y2K bug, despite declaring the date switch to 2000 a success. Minister for Information Technology Kim Yeadon says the vigilance will continue for the next weeks and months - but he expects any problems will be relatively minor. ****************************************************************"

" A small ship packed with more than 400 people trying to enter the United States illegally has run aground off the Florida coast, just south of Miami. Coastguard crews managed to take all those on board to safety. Most of the migrants are from Haiti. The coastguard says its officers did not use force. A spokesman says the boarding party persuaded the illegal immigrants there was a real danger of the boat capsizing at low tide. After five days at sea in cramped and insanitary conditions they were also tempted by the prospect of a decent meal. The coastguard counted 406 people onboard the 60-foot wooden boat. They are currently being held aboard coastguard cutters offshore while officers try to determine if this was lucrative immigrant smuggling operation or a desperate collective attempt by poor people to start the new century with a new life in America."

" Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh is shocked to hear that Pakistan's Shoaib Akhtar has been sent home because of concerns over his bowling action. Akhtar, who is rated as the fastest bowler in the world, has been banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The ICC has ruled that Akhtar's bowling action is suspect, forcing him out of the upcoming one-day series against Australia and India. Steve Waugh says it is disappointing that Australian fans will miss out on seeing the fiery paceman in the one-dayers. ""It's disappointing for the player and probably a little bit disappointing for the game because he's such an exciting bowler,"" Waugh said. ""But there are rules there and if people think he's broken those rules then they have got to make a judgement on it."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" Tributes are flowing in for Australian marathon swimmer Des Renford who died last night. Renford, 72, swam the English Channel 19 times and became known as ""the King of the Channel"". Duncan Taylor from the Channel Swimming Association has described him as an example people loved to follow. Former secretary of the Commonwealth Games Association, Arthur Tunstall, has praised his charity work. And fellow marathon swimmer Susie Maroney says she owes much to the ""king"". ""You know, if Des didn't do his marathon swimming then I wouldn't be doing it,"" she said. ""So I owe Des a lot and I'll always remember him."" Des Renford leaves his wife Pattie and three children. -------------------------------------------------------------------"

" The small West African nation of Gambia has emerged as one of the only countries in the world to be seriously affected by power blackouts and other disruptions in the New Year. The International Y2K Cooperation Centre, based in the US, says the Gambian energy sector experienced significant power outages while air and sea transportation, the financial sector and government services have been crippled. However, the centre claims the power outages were not Y2K-related and the problems in the other sectors cannot be blamed entirely on the Y2K bug. Failures have been reported in the Gambian Treasury Department, the National Tax Service and at the Customs Service. Experts attribute the problems to a delay in international assistance promised to Gambia to prepare for Y2K. The country has declared tomorrow a non-working day to reduce pressure on its crippled services. ******************************************************************"

" Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer has praised Boris Yeltsin, who has resigned as Russian President. Mr Yeltsin has handed the reigns of office to his preferred successor, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin who assumes the presidential powers for three months, before elections are required. Mr Downer says Boris Yeltsin has shown a committment to democracy, openess, and engagement with the West. ""His standing down, and the smooth transition to now President Putin will, I think, be yet another illustration of the commitment that he's made to strong democratic institutions in Russia,"" he said. ""And that isn't a small point, that is an enormously important point given the history of Russia during the course of what is now the last century. ""He was a very important president. ""Of course, he became old, as everybody does, and was subject to a fair amount of ridicule in recent years but don't let's forget that he was one of very, very few leaders, Russian leaders during the course of this century, who had that commitment."" -------------------------------------------------------------------"

huge bushfire towards the town of Hill Top. A new blaze near Goulburn,

south-west of Sydney, has forced the closure of the Hume Highway. At

have left their homes for nearby Mittagong. The New South Wales Rural

Fire Service says the weather conditions which caused the fire to burn

details are available at this stage, fire authorities says it has

closed the Hume Highway in both directions. Meanwhile, a new fire in

hundred fires still burning across the state. "The falls have been

quite isolated in those areas and generally the falls have been less

associated with those thunderstorms."

Indian security forces have shot dead eight suspected militants in a

India's parliament. India has accused Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba

and Jaish-e-Mohammad of carrying out the attack on December 13 at the

Saeed. Police in Karachi say it is likely more raids will be launched

against the two groups as well as other militant organisations accused

died on New South Wales roads, with eight fatalities in both Queensland

and Victoria. Western Australia, the Northern Territory and South

Argentina because key fellow Peronists would not support his default on

massive foreign debt repayment or his plan for a new currency. It was only a week ago that he was promising a million new jobs to end

the role. Fresh elections are not scheduled until March leaving whoever assumes

the presidency with the daunting task of tackling Argentina's worst

some occasions while women were in labour. The Illawarra Area Health Service says that following an investigation

of unprofessional conduct, a further four midwives have been relocated

and angry at the inappropriate behaviour of these very senior people who

should know better," he said. "And that's why we've take the action of suspending them and we'll

long the claims process has been put on hold. But he says the major threat to most people seeking asylum is no longer

there. "Many Afghans who have tried to get into Australia or for that matter

operations using chartered aircraft. The second airlift today delivered 180 asylum seekers to Nauru where

they will await processing of their claims for temporary visas. The Department of Immigration says there are now 211 detainees remaining

year, both won their singles encounters to give the US an unbeatable 2-0

lead. The 28-year-old Seles, currently ranked eighth, recovered from a shaky

the eight-nation contest. Gambill said the win was a great way to start the tennis year. "I got a little tentative at the end, but it was a great start to my

year," he said. "Arnaud is a great scrapper and I am delighted to beat him, even though

the third and fifth games. Seles said she had expected her clash with Razzano to be tough. "She was a top junior player in the world, so it was no surprise that

she fought so well," she said. Seles said she still had the hunger to strive to regain her position at

completed victory with relative ease despite Razzano's tenacious

efforts.

overnight with milder weather allowing them to strengthen containment

lines around the most severe fires. But fire authorities are not getting overly optimistic as dry and hot

the north coast and further south have been burning within areas that

are known and are contained," he said. "However, that's not to say that these fires won't pose a threat given

north-western flank, but is not threatening property. In the lower Blue Mountains west of Sydney, firefighters have spent the

night setting up a 20 kilometre containment line to protect communities

to drop incendiary devices that start fire control lines in inaccessible

areas. The Rural Fire Service Commissioner Phil Koperberg says if fire activity

and the Illawarra Highway, where police have reduced the speed limit

from 110 kilometres an hour to 80. In southern Sydney, Picton Road is closed between Wilton and Bulli,

Ferry Road and Upper Color Road under police escort.

Work is continuing this morning to restore power supplies to tens of

to Toowoomba and north to the Sunshine Coast. At Boonah south-west of Brisbane, protective tarpaulins were ripped from

homes still undergoing repairs, following severe storms just before

people killed in a fire that's destroyed part of downtown Lima. Police say the fire began when a fireworks cache exploded in a shop just

four blocks from Peru's Congress in a heritage-listed area famed for its

street where cars - themselves engulfed by fire - trapped fleeing

victims. Hospitals have urged the public to donate medicine for the hundreds of

attack. "Pakistan stands for peace, Pakistan wants peace, Pakistan wants to

reduce tension," he said. "Let the two countries move towards peace and harmony. "However, Pakistan has taken all counter measures, if any war is thrust

international community in trying to defuse the potentially explosive

crisis. "We would like anybody to play a useful and positive role in defusing

Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. "I am for dialogue and I keep on saying this and India keeps on

rejecting which gives me a feeling that I am begging to India. If they

assault, but Pakistan denies the allegation. With both countries massing troops along the border, Pakistan Foreign

Minister Abdul Sattar warned Saturday that the dispute was growing

from the soil of Pakistan." However he warned the "tension that has mounted on our eastern border in

fact is creating obstacles and hurdles".

international force would play. The Foreign Minister, Dr Abdullah, appeared to be ending the confusion,

saying an agreement was about to be signed. "There is already the agreement, so it was finalised," he said. But a spokesman for the Interior Minister, Yunis Kanooni, emerged soon

The Israeli army has killed three Palestinian militants who attacked one

of its armoured vehicles in the northern Gaza Strip. The three Palestinians opened fire with rifles at the vehicle between

Palestinians and 234 Israelis. Alei Sinai was attacked on October 2 when two gunmen from the radical

Islamic group Hamas infiltrated the settlement and opened fire on the

after its nearest rival, Zeus Two failed to finish in the early hours of

this morning. Zeus Two is still eight hours away from the finish line. The nine metre yacht is among 16 boats still to finish. All four Tasmanian boats have finished. Meanwhile, a South Australian yacht in the Sydney to Hobart has been

start of the tour due to injury. South African captain Shaun Pollock says he hopes Boje arrives in time

to prepare for the Test. "Nicky Boje might be out in time," he said. "As soon as he was fit and ready he was going to come over but we'll be

after winning the tournament with her brother Emilio in 1990. "It would be very nice to start the year off and as I say it's always

tough but it's a very good start for me and I'm looking forward with

grand slam event. "I think if I play my best tennis and give a 100 per cent no matter who

I play I think I'm in with a good chance of getting through to the

home country has been made a companion of the New Zealand Order of

Merit. The first of three films employed a cast of over 2,000 and had a budget

Mountains. Firefighters are working on a 25 kilometre fire front in the area, which

it is feared will devour homes if the wind picks up this afternoon. The weather bureau had initially predicted 80 kilometre an hour

the area. "Soon as we get word the southerly change for instance, is getting close

to the Blue Mountains area, we initially stop our back-burning," Mr

salaries to workers and retirees. He says he issued the appeal at a meeting with leaders of the banking

community. "I'm very concerned about what has happened in Argentina," Mr Rodriguez

last week, has died in hospital. A 16-year-old boy, who was a passenger in the car when it hit a

telephone pole, remains in critical condition. New South Wales has recorded 18 holiday deaths. Seven people have died on Queensland roads, five in Victoria, three in

trucks. The Federal Minister for the Environment, David Kemp, says state and

territory inspectors will conduct random fuel sampling at refineries,

benzene and carbon monoxide will be reduced by at least 40 per cent by

2010. By 2020, emissions of those pollutants will be reduced by 70 per cent.

stopped by security personnel for a random check. They discovered a loaded 9mm Beretta semi-automatic pistol in his hand

luggage. The man acknowledged the gun was his, and was released on $5,000 bail. There is no suggestion he was planning any sort of terrorist attack, but

safety of a central Australian community after their vehicle sank in

sand in the Finke River overnight. A police spokesman says police were called to the area 100 kilometres

who were stuck in the vehicle. The tourists and the rescue team are expected to walk for about four

hours this morning before driving to the Hermansburg community.

clear of Wild Card, the only Tasmanian entry in the fleet. The fast-finishing Tevake crossed the line at 6:15am to be runner-up for

the second year in a row. Kontrol skipper Peter Blake says modifications to his boat have been

forecast over the next two days. Spencer north of Sydney, and the lower Blue Mountains continue to be of

the greatest concern. Homes between Bulabarra and Lapstone are set to be in the line of fire

the arrival this morning of 130 officers from Queensland. Those firefighters are heading to the Hunter region to help battle a

blaze at Cessnock.

service. General Musharraf says Pakistan will never initiate a conflict between

the two countries. He says he is prepared to hold talks with the Indian Prime Minister at a

the 57th Sydney to Hobart. Assa Abloy, accompanied by a large spectator fleet, sailed up the

Derwent River in light winds this morning. It crossed the finishing line just under two days and 21 hours after

A United States federal magistrate has refused to free on bail a British

man accused of trying to detonate his explosives-laden shoes on a

the plane". The device contained an explosive called TATP. US Magistrate Judith Dein refused to grant bail for Reid, 28, but left

open the possibility of his release later. Reid is charged with intimidation and interfering with a flight crew -

to return to the region to work for a cease-fire and a return to peace

talks. Mr Zinni, a retired Marine Corps general, was sent to the region in late

Israeli-Palestinian violence and the implementation of

confidence-building measures, before a return to peace talks. The Tenet Memorandum, a blueprint for implementing a cease-fire, was

cease-fire.

The Northern Territory Aids Council says it is not surprised the

practice safe sex. "We do need to be reminded, I think people become a bit complacent and

they feel that it can't happen to them," Mr Farmer said. "What these statistics show is that there is a shift in the means of

the next century due to global warming, according to a new risk

assessment. The survey by the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and Norwegian

and in this case even a 5 per cent chance of this happening is really

damn serious," he said. Scientists have already predicted a rise in sea levels of 50 centimetres

related to the impact of human industrial activity on the climate. He says it is part of a far older process. However, he says major world polluters cannot walk away from the

problem. "The potential impacts of a major change in the West Antarctic Ice Sheet

Western Australia's wheatbelt overnight. Geo-science Australia says the epicentre was in Burakin, 240 kilometres

north-east of Perth. A spokesman says the earthquake, which occurred at about 12:30am,

their workload today but are predicting "nasty" conditions over the

weekend. While the winds are expected to ease somewhat today, the weather bureau

temperatures and high winds that it certainly could be a nasty couple of

days ahead," Mr Sullivan said. One of the areas causing greatest concern today is the 30-kilometre long

bounded by Appin Road and the Old Princes Highway at Helensburgh. An area west of Windy Gully near Cataract Dam was also targeted. Meanwhile, Illawarra police have arrested three teenagers in relation to

bushfires at Shellharbour, on the south coast of New South Wales. A spokesman says three small fires were extinguished around 7:30pm AEDT

Indian planes from its airspace. "Pakistan regrets the Indian decision to downgrade embassy

representation by 50 per cent and confine staff to the municipal limits

on the Parliament complex in new Delhi, Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant

Singh earlier announced a set of new sanctions. Pakistani aircraft would not be allowed to fly over Indian airspace from

and non measures" against militant groups operating in its territory. India has accused Pakistani military intelligence of sponsoring the

Parliament attack and has threatened retaliation, including possible

leader who helped to create the fundamentalist Taliban. "Osama himself is under the protection of Maulana Fazalur Rehman in

Pakistan, but we don't know for sure in which part of it," Mohamad

the Al Qaeda network which is blamed for the September 11 attacks on New

York and Washington. Mohamad Habeel said bin Laden's support in Afghanistan had collapsed

led for the past eight years, calling for a "soaring, beautiful"

memorial to be built on the site of the World Trade Centre. Mr Giuliani, speaking just four days ahead of his final day in office,

American." During his reign, many in the city's black and Hispanic communities

decried Mr Giuliani's 'knee-jerk' support for New York's Police

believed - rightly or wrongly - that we had one last chance to do that." Mr Giuliani, a Republican, has served two terms as New York City's Mayor

since 1993. Term limits prevent him from seeking a third term in office, and he will

Andy Bichel earlier starred as the tourists fell for 277. When play was abandoned due to rain a few overs short of scheduled

stumps yesterday, Justin Langer was not out 67 and Matthew Hayden 55. The openers went on the attack from the start, with Langer's innings

cruising as Jacques Kallis and Neil McKenzie added 72 without loss. But then Bichel suddenly had them reeling after snatching two wickets in

two balls. First he had Jacques Kallis caught behind for 38, although Kallis could

introduction of part-timer Mark Waugh to the attack paid off for

Australia. Waugh removed Boucher for 43, caught by Bichel. Brett Lee then chipped in, trapping McKenzie leg before for 67 with a

Australian bowlers, after also picking up the final wicket of Nantie

Haywood for 14. Lee took 3 for 77 and Glenn McGrath 2 for 66.

Franklin. Mr Romaszko pulled himself to safety and, after camping overnight, he

alerted a tour group. He was able to use the group's satellite phone to raise the alarm. A second member of the party was found nearby yesterday afternoon, while

A total of 14 yachts have now retired from the Sydney to Hobart Yacht

Race, after three more yachts pulled out of the classic overnight, one

Corp is a further two nautical miles astern, with Assa Abloy close by. Team Tyco will not have its result recorded, after failing to meet a

mandatory radio check when off Green Cape.

far inland as Mudgee, Narromine and Kempsey, and the Richmond Valley in

the north. However, the major areas of concern today are the southern Sydney

sea breeze along the coast, which is going to make things quite

challenging for firefighting." Between 4,000 and 5,000 firefighters are currently battling the blazes. Crews have already been brought in from Victoria, but the Rural Fire

who knew Richard Reid well. Abdul Hak Baker is the head of the Brixton mosque in south London, where

28-year-old Mr Reid had worshipped. Mr Baker says Mr Reid is a petty criminal who had converted to Islam

said. "This was the type of jihad that he was beginning to believe in. "September the eleventh would have had a profound effect on him." Meanwhile, US television is reporting Osama bin Laden loyalists held

prisoner in Afghanistan have told US troops Mr Reid trained in their

Monday, for travel between January 9 and March 27. The one-way fares are for flights to Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide,

Launceston and Canberra. Vigin Blue spokesman David Huttner says the fares are to thank customers

the best of luck in that endeavour," he said. "Everybody else has failed so far but if that's the only goal in

business, they claim to be in the spirit of competition then well, good

holiday period began. In Victoria, where five people have died, a teenage boy suffered life

threatening injuries when he was run down by a car at Baccus Marsh, west

gunmen who opened fire on them earlier, Palestinian officials said. Walid Saadi, 53, was killed by heavy machine-gun fire as tanks and

helicopters fought a pitched battle with the Palestinian gunmen, holed

although officials had earlier said it was two. An army spokesman said the gunmen had been heading through

Israel-controlled territory east of the town when they ran into an army

injuring one policeman slightly. A firefight erupted around the house, Palestinian and Israeli security

officials said, during which the tanks fired two shells into the

scheming civil servant in the BBC hit Yes Minister, died

Wednesday from a heart attack aged 72, his agent said. Hawthorne had been battling cancer for the past 18 months and had just

extremely cut up," he said. Playing the smug civil servant Sir Humphrey Appleby who always knew

better than his master, Hawthorne's performances in Yes, Minister

nominated for an Oscar.

Seven yachts have been forced to retire from the Sydney to Hobart yacht

storm and were forced to head back to Sydney. Volvo ocean racer Tyco, leads the race ahead of Assa Abloy.

Australia will be aiming to take early wickets on day two of the second

the last Test, occasionally I get one myself," he said. "It gives you so much more confidence when you know 99 per cent of the

catches that go flying to the slips or through the slips are going to be

Campbelltown, south-west of Sydney, to the Royal National Park. Hundreds of people have been evacuated from small villages to the south

and south-west of Sydney. Authorities estimate more than 60 properties have been destroyed in the

Royal National Park is likely to be impacted by fire later in the

morning," he said. "Certainly in terms of population risk and threat to property that band

confident they have the resources to contain any further blazes. A total fire ban is in force in the ACT today and tomorrow. Emergency Services Minister Ted Quinlan has paid tribute to the efforts

of firefighters. "There has just been a whole body of people that have been magnificent

messages. The sombre mood was typified by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, who said

2001 brought many people "more than their fair share of trials and

faith more than ever to sustain and guide us. "Every one of us needs to believe in the value of all that is good and

honest." Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf also referred to September 11 in his

magnitude, have shaken the conscience of humanity and shattered many of

the ideas on which we base the way we live," he said. However, King Juan said the international community's reaction showed no

Afghan security forces have arrested a wounded Arab Al Qaeda fighter,

but seven others with weapons and explosives remain barricaded in a

surrender their weapons," Mr Jan said. "We are concerned about the safety of other patients." The Arabs, wounded in earlier US bombing of Kandahar airport, were

admitted to Mirwais Hospital before the departure of the Taliban militia

life in prison for a 1996 hostage siege in which more than 200 people

died. Salman Raduyev is probably the most important Chechen fighter Russian

cornered Raduyev on the Chechen border.

Skippers are expecting a spectacular start to the 57th Sydney to Hobart

200-metre headstart designed to get them out of harm's way. The boats will have to round a buoy further north near Sydney heads, to

equalise the distance. Ludde Ingvall, the skipper of Nicorette, says the split start could help

of up to five metres in Bass Strait for this year's Sydney to Hobart

yacht race. Severe weather forecaster Ken Batt says if a low pressure system

jails has run out of money. The Criminal Justice Coalition's Prison and Debt Project has been

developing tools to educate prisoners and their families about their

you owe them from your benefit payment so your income is vastly

reduced," she said. "You may not have a place to live and your car's probably been

Elliot Street when the offender discovered the child shortly after

taking the car. Members of the public found the boy sitting on a kerb and returned him

Test between Australia and South Africa, due to start at the MCG this

morning. Melbourne's shaky early summer weather is not yet on the improve. This is Test cricket's traditional day of days and it is receiving

the Test due to a right shoulder injury. Bichel says he is looking forward to the challenge of a call-up to the

starting side. "I feel that I'm ready to go for this game and I'm looking forward to

An American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami has been diverted to

Boston Airport under escort by two United States fighter jets, after a

was attempting to do and literally tackled the individual," he said. The FBI has arrested a 28-year-old mantravelling on what is reported to

be a fake British passport. The 185 passengers and 12 crew members have been taken off the plane.

dollars after 23 years of war. "Afghanistan must go from an economy of war to an economy of peace," Mr

Karzai said. "Those people who've earned a living by taking the gun must be enabled

possibility Osama bin Laden could have been killed in the United States

bombardment of the Tora Bora caves in eastern Afghanistan. "Maybe he is dead because of all the operations that have been

Afghanistan in a bid to capture the suspected terrorist mastermind. "We have huge borders between Afghanistan and Pakistan," he said. "The Tora Bora region in which he was supposed to be operating has ...

about eight passes leading into Pakistan over mountains at a height of

network of caves where Al Qaeda members had been hiding out. An Afghan commander in charge in the Tora Bora caves region said

Saturday that bin Laden had probably gone to Pakistan. The Pentagon said on Monday that it had no idea where bin Laden was now

Melbourne on Boxing Day. As predicted, Queensland pace bowler Andy Bichel replaces spin bowler

Stuart MacGill, who was 12th man for the Adelaide Test. MacGill took five wickets for New South Wales on day one of the tour

Israel has rejected Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat's bid to make his

annual visit to Bethlehem for Christmas Eve during an security cabinet

Minister Ariel Sharon's office said. Earlier, Mr Arafat declared he would walk to Bethlehem for Christmas Eve

Mass if he has to if Israeli authorities refused him access to the

the most important radical group Hamas, then declared an end to its

campaign of suicide bombings and other attacks against Israel. Another smaller, but important radical group, Islamic Jihad, might

genetically matched to their first child in a bid to save the toddler

from a rare blood disease. The in-vitro fertalisation (IVF) technique involves testing a three day

where embryos are screened for inherited genetic diseases. Approval must be given for blood stem cells from the placenta to be

transplanted to the critically ill child. Professor Alan Trounson deputy director of the Monash Institute of

making that kind of decision." The technology has already been used to save a child in the United

States.

but the boat ignored orders to stop and continued heading west towards

China. The officials said crew members appeared on deck brandishing metal pipes

members. Six of the 15 on board have so far been recovered from the ocean,

although rough weather is said to be hampering rescue efforts.

security. Queues have stretched for up to half a kilometre as suitcases have been

opened and Christmas presents unwrapped. Even drivers dropping off passengers have had their cars searched as

Queensland Anglican school. Prime Minister John Howard is defending Dr Peter Hollingworth against

criticism about the way he dealt with the claims of abuse at a Toowoomba

clarifying and understanding the import of what happened," he said. Meanwhile, Federal Opposition leader Simon Crean has described Dr

Hollingworth's explanation as insufficient. Mr Crean says there are inconsistancies regarding where Dr Hollingworth

The Chief of the Army, Lieutenant-General Peter Cosgrove, has confirmed

an Australian man linked to Osama bin Laden served with the Australia

its soldiers once they have left the service. "When you leave your job now will your previous company make any

assessment about your skills and what you might carry to another area?"

and hundreds injured in nationwide riots. Argentina's President Fernando de la Rua has resigned and called for a

national unity government with the opposition Peronists. The President's resignation followed 48 hours of rioting across the

the new cabinet. Government policy has previously ruled out any devaluation of the peso,

fearing a run on the currency and an even greater debt crisis. The Government has also declared a 30-day state of siege in an effort to

campaign for a 3 per cent pay rise. Both the union and Qantas say there will not be flight disruptions.

After months of delays, the company behind plans for a multi-billion

regime. But today Phillips has announced it has reached a deal with East Timor's

new Government which will allow the gas project to go ahead. In a statement the company says it welcomes the tax and fiscal package

An Iraqi defector who has applied for residency in Australia claims he

has information about top secret chemical and biological weapons plants

and in another place and there's substituted places to any factory," he

said. The former chief weapons inspector for the United Nations in Iraq,

The Queensland Premier says he accepts full responsibility for a

mentally ill killer being able to flee overseas. Claude John Gabriel stabbed to death a Gold Coast teenager in 1998 and

said. "I'm very unhappy about how this whole matter has been handled and I've

made that very clear."

nominations, with six possible awards. It is vying for best musical or comedy picture of 2002, best actress in

a comedy or musical, best actor in the same category for Ewen McGregor,

Australian cricket selectors have made just one change to the squad that

beat South Africa in the opening Test for the second Test beginning in

The Prime Minister has thrown his full support behind the

Governor-General, Dr Peter Hollingworth. Child rights campaigners have accused Dr Hollingworth of trying to

him about it and I've tried to form a judgment," Mr Howard said. "The criticism made is that he's involved in a cover-up, well there's no

evidence of that, that's ridiculous."

of some 250 British soldiers who will be deployed tomorrow. Afghanistan's new interim government, with Hamid Karzai as Prime

Minister, is to be sworn in on the same day. The initial mandate for the new force, called the International Security

Italy, Canada, Spain and possibly Germany among the early arrivals. The US military will be in overall charge in case of a conflict and

would help rescue the new troops in an emergency. The new force was established in principle for Kabul and its environs as

duties in Afghanistan.

US President George W Bush has marked the 100th day of the campaign

network develop a nuclear bomb. "UTN claims to serve the hungry and needy of Afghanistan, but it was the

UTN that provided information about nuclear weapons to Al Qaeda," he

The death toll in Argentina's food riots has risen to 20. Local media reports say four more people died this morning in clashes

between police and protesters near the presidential palace in the

recession. Heavily armed police using powers under a 30-day state of siege decree

are attempting to prevent large public gatherings, but union leaders say

unrest could infect their own nations unless Argentina and its leaders

can resolve the crisis quickly.

left the centre and extra police resources brought into the town in

recent days were stood down. The Immigration Department claims the damage bill from the arson attacks

from today which force them to implement new codes for the handling of

personal information. The Government and the credit sectors are already obliged to protect

doctors collecting health information now have to ask for consent. "They're not in a position any more of being able to give that

information out in an identifiable form to research organisations or to

marketing. Mr Crompton says a large culture change is happening, but it is backed

by his enforcement powers. "Often we're able to broker a solution without having to use the powers

after a roof collapsed at a South African shopping centre, burying some

children on a skating rink, witnesses and police said. Initial reports spoke of up to 50 people trapped at the Kolonnade

injured people, mostly adults, had been taken to hospitals around the

city by ambulance or helicopter, Mr Pieterse said. "Most of those injured were those standing at the glass wall watching

screaming, running away from where it happened," the South African

Broadcasting Corporation radio quoted one witness as saying. Several people, including young children, were brought out on stretchers

invasions of white-owned farms or face possible suspension from the

Commonwealth. A meeting in London of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group has

request to allow observers for the upcoming election. Australia's Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says if there is not a

substantial change in Zimbabwe significant sanctions are possible. "[The] Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group does have a number of

they moved back into a suburb of Nablus that they had left just hours

earlier. Tanks and armoured cars moved into an autonomous Palestinian area of

Palestinian leader, Yasser Arafat's peace call on Sunday. But the clashes and the killing, the first since Monday, ruptured the

peace. Mr Arafat, apparently getting tough on Islamic extremists defying his

and Palestinian officials held their first joint security meeting since

US peace envoy Anthony Zinni was recalled to Washington. The Palestinians called the meeting a "failure", but Israeli officials

hundreds of people from across Australia to participate in his planned

mass nude photo shoot. Following in the footsteps of American Spencer Tunick, who has

until today, but unfortunately the poor man has had a heart attack," he

said. "It has received a lot of interest from all around the place, but it's

of August has previously served with the Australian Army. Senator Hill says the Government believes the man suffered from

depression and retired from the defence force. The Government says a 28-year-old man left Australia in March, but it is

multinational force for six months as the United Nations geared up for

vote authorising the force today. Disagreements between US allies over defining the mandate of the force

the security force yesterday after talks with British military

representatives. He said the peacekeepers would only be allowed to stay for six months,

Kabul and its surrounding areas, so that the Afghan interim Authority as

well as the personnel of the United Nations can operate in a secure

Governor-General, saying he did not do enough to prevent abuse of

children in an Anglican school when he was Archbishop of Brisbane. Mr Crean says he is not calling on Dr Hollingworth to resign but he says

more questions than it answers. Jim Soorley, who is a former Catholic priest, says the explanation does

not wash. "Within the Christian tradition, bishops are regarded as shepherds," he

have mutilated themselves during the current unrest. The department has confirmed two asylum seekers harmed themselves

yesterday. An ambulance was seen entering and leaving the facility at high speed

overnight. Twenty-two buildings have been destroyed or damaged by fire in three

days. It is thought the cooler temperatures, expected in Woomera today, may

with religious values. The Reverend Tim Costello says it is important for Christians to

remember Jesus was a refugee. He says Australians need to look beyond the small number of trouble

in the Gaza Strip, trying to arrest one of the Islamic group's senior

political leaders. Reports say the fight erupted in the Gaza Strip after dozens of Hamas

groups and arrested dozens of militants.

Argentina's Economy Minister Domingo Cavallo is reported to have

in other parts of the city to protest against the declaration of a state

of emergency. It was declared after mounting popular discontent and widespread looting

of media personality Shirley Strachan. Mr Strachan was on a solo navigation training flight on August 29 when

he crashed into Mt Archer on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Witnesses told of seeing Mr Strachan apparently struggling to control

students are fully educated on the dangers of weather phenomena. The helicopter training company which owned the aircraft Mr Strachan

died in has declined to comment in detail on the findings. Blue Tongue Helicopters owner, Helen Gillies, says the company respects

Investment Commission (ASIC). The charges to be faced by Alan Hodgson from Beaumont in Adelaide's

eastern suburbs, include 18 counts of acting dishonestly as an officer

debts of about $160 million. A management buyout by executives not connected with the original

company was finalised last month. The buyout saw the closure of 12 stores around Australia and the

Beveridge, the Grand Prix Corporation's legal team sought judicial

assurance next year's event would be able to go ahead. Coroner Graeme Johnston said his recommendations were unlikely to alter

Up to 5,000 soldiers will be deployed in Afghanistan later this month as

an international force to provide security for the country's interim

tensions in Afghanistan, it will be a difficult and sometimes dangerous

mission. An advance unit of 100 British marines will be in the country by the

but not enough for engineering, mine-clearing, and other logistical

needs. Meanwhile, Afghan forces have begun handing over captured Al Qaeda

the US marine base outside Kandahar. Another five prisoners, including the Australian, David Hicks, are being

held offshore on a US military ship. Anti-Taliban forces are continuing search for some 500 Al Qaeda

strikes were launched.

After the torching of more than 20 buildings over the past three days,

detainees. It is not known if they actually resorted to any tough action but a

group of men wearing riot gear, possibly Star Force police officers

resign or explain to a full Senate inquiry how he handled claims of

alleged sexual abuse at a Queensland Anglican school. Dr Peter Hollingworth has released a statement responding to claims he

the time, who told him not to intervene because it would jeopardise the

church's insurance policy. Hetty Johnston, from the People's Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse,

Ms Johnston said. Queensland Premier Peter Beattie says while the Governor-General has

faced serious criticism about his sensitivity in the situation, legal

been better handled," Mr Beattie said.

The Flanders graveyard of thousands of Australian World War I soldiers

route gets the go ahead, many of the thousands still missing will be

buried under bitumen and heavy traffic. The proposed route would split the battlefield in two, and also run

sections of the community who have thought very carefully about the

issues. She says it will also annoy others who supported the Coalition's stance

in fact we came the nearest to winning an election after having been

nearly obliterated in 1996."

its avowed struggle to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land,

or if it would revert to grisly attacks if Israel carries out more

sweeping international condemnation. The Fatah official, who likewise asked to remain anonymous, said Hamas

had said it did not want to damage Palestinian national unity by

last week after another Hamas attack, which used gunmen and roadside

explosives rather than suicide bombings. Mr Arafat in turn ordered the closure of dozens of Hamas offices and has

buildings and senior Israeli officials.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer says the Commonwealth's democracy

governance. CMAG ministers from Australia, Bangladesh, Barbados, Botswana, Britain,

Canada, Malaysia and Nigeria will meet in London tomorrow for talks on

on President Mugabe to allow international observers to oversee

presidential elections next March.

Speaker Michael Polley declared a result. Just before 10:00pm, the Deputy Premier Paul Lennon, Police Minister

David Llewellyn and Labor backbencher Steven Kons abstained from voting

England batsman Michael Vaughan has become just the seventh player in

the history of Test cricket to be given out handling the ball. Vaughan was on 64 when he flicked the ball with his hand towards a

appealed, I'm not too sure who it was, but a bit disappointed really." England finished the opening day at 6 for 255. Mark Ramprakash was out for 58, he and Vaughan adding 113 for the fourth

wicket after England was struggling at 3 for 93.

disturbance, out of which four have returned to work. He says damage to the buildings ranged from minor to extensive. It is understood some detainees had helped staff extinguish fires last

night. The spokesman says up to 300 detainees had tried to break through the

Australia is still being held in custody by the United States aboard the

USS Peleliu in the Arabian Sea. Mr Williams says the suspected Al Qaeda fighter will interrogated by a

The Pentagon says the US military is continuing to search caves in the

Tora Bora region, in eastern Afghanistan, even though local Afghan

believe there are no Al Qaeda members left. Deputy Defence Secretary Paul Wolfowitz has discussed options for the

military campaign beyond Afghanistan. "I think the places that we're going to be looking at immediately beyond

fighters and doubt they will find bin Laden. Hundreds of anti-Taliban troops are still scouring the hilltops for bin

Laden loyalists, believed to be fleeing towards Pakistan. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is still debating key issues in a

over the total number of peacekeepers and the UN is trying to define

their mandate. Britain will be leading the force, with contributions expected from

main report into last year's fatal Whyalla Airlines crash in South

Australia's Spencer Gulf. The Australian Transport Safety Bureau today released its report into

leaning. Other recommendations relating to operating and maintenance procedures

for high powered piston engines and procedures for ditching aircraft are

The Northern Territory's coroner has found that an Aboriginal boy who

died in custody nearly two years ago should not have to be in detention. In February last year, the teenager died in hospital from compression of

diversionary program of victim-offender conferencing instead of being

sent to detention. The court had not considered that option and neither the prosecutor nor

last September. About 4,000 workers have been paid their entitlements overnight and it

is expected another 800 will be paid out by the end of the week. Administrator Mark Mentha says Ansett's new owners will now decide how

programs being undertaken at Ansett and difficulties in negotiation that

have prevailed and the complexity of the Federal Government scheme and

Government's proposed new ASIO laws need guarantees to protect the

rights of individuals. The Federal Government wants to give officers the power to detain

essential that there be important safeguards," he said.

The HIH Royal Commission has heard evidence that there were doubts about

finance director Dominic Federa were at that meeting. Mr Gibbons said Mr Smith noted that if HIH was wound up on that date

there would be a clear shortage of assets to pay creditors. He says the directors were told it was highly likely all creditors would

Lee after criticism of his intimidatory bowling to the South African

tailenders in the first Test in Adelaide. Earlier this month, Lee was fined for giving New Zealand tailender Shane

batting and expect other tailenders to do likewise." Meanwhile, Waugh says his side will need to guard against complacency

after convincingly winning the first Test by 246 runs. Waugh says despite the dominance of his side in the first Test, South

advantage as well." South Africa begins a four-day match against New South Wales in Sydney

on Thursday in the lead up to the Boxing Day Test. Veteran fast bowler Allan Donald will play in the warm-up match and is

beat Australia on our day," he said.

Fresh palls of smoke are billowing from the Woomera Detention Centre in

local time. Three fire crews, one ambulance and several police have attended the

scene. A water cannon and three tear-gas canisters were used to subdue

there, are engaging in this campaign of damaging and destroying

buildings in order to put pressure on the Australian authorities to

the centre. "I think that will probably have to be the ultimate solution, we will

have to send high risk detainees to other areas," she said. "We can't keep them in an environment where there are young children

increase the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation's (ASIO)

powers to combat terrorism. Labor wants a parliamentary inquiry to be set up to examine proposals to

Opposition does not want to unnecessarily delay the proposed

legislation. "We want to make sure that it is dealt with quickly by the Parliament

we believe that this is an appropriate one for them to support as well." Meanwhile, the Federal Government is under pressure to release more

details about plans to place armed security officers on domestic

understands why the plans are being put in place, but says airlines are

wary of the move. "It's always a bit of a concern to the captain that there would be

Tora Bora region, in eastern Afghanistan, even though local Afghan

forces have pulled out. US officials say they are still unsure whether suspected terrorist

military campaign beyond Afghanistan. "I think the places that we're going to be looking at immediately beyond

Afghanistan first and foremost, those places where we think senior Al

Laden loyalists, believed to be fleeing towards Pakistan. Meanwhile, the UN Security Council is still debating key issues in a

resolution authorising a multinational force to help provide security in

their mandate. Britain will be leading the force, with contributions expected from

several countries including Australia. But the UN's deputy envoy to Afghanistan, Ahmed Fawzi, says he is not

the environment necessary for the new interim administration to work in

secure circumstances," Mr Fawzi said. In Brussels, the US Defence Secretary, Donald Rumsfeld, has told NATO

networks raises the danger that September the 11th could be a preview of

what could come, if the enemies of freedom gain ability to strike our

in Australia as "reasonably robust", in the release of its latest world

economic outlook. The IMF says prospects globally remain subject to considerable

projected in its October outlook. Australia's exports, while sustained so far by a weak currency, could

come under pressure if global growth and commodity prices remain weak.

and water damage. The fire started at around 6:30am on Tuesday, local time, in the

church's gift shop, but around 200 firemen were able to stem the flames'

toward it," he said. Mr Savarese was among a group of firemen inside the building when Third

Division Deputy Chief Edward Dennehy, who was standing outside, noticed

its guerrilla war against Israel. A senior Israeli Defence official has told Israel Army Radio the

Palestinian organisation is now planning to attack strategic targets. Hamas has carried out numerous suicide bombings in Israel, but its

to all military operations against Israel, and a return to peace

negotiations.

of the club's more than 16,000 members vote. Mr Szondy says he is pleased it was such a decisive victory. "We're very happy that the members have voted so overwhelmingly in

support of the ticket and it hasn't been cherry-picked," he said. He attributed the victory to both the presence of former Demon's great

work together."

Australian cricket captain Steve Waugh has supported fast bowler Brett

learn how to bat," he said. "I mean there's no times like 20 years ago when it was not professional

and sort of a bowlers' code. "These days you're professional, our batsmen work very hard at their

confidence going into Melbourne, you know, the big crowd there, we love

playing in front of the Boxing Day crowd, so that will be to our

can improve on our aspects...the output we put out on the field will be

a lot better and we still believe we have a side that is good enough to

applications. He says detainees threw rocks, chairs and other objects in an effort to

stop staff and local fire brigade officers from putting out the fires. The department estimates the damage bill from fire-related incidents at

measures at a meeting in Sydney. New legislation will give more power to Commonwealth agencies, including

allowing ASIO to detain people with information about terrorism for up

strongly support it, as I said I hope the Labor party will get behind it

as well," he said. Mr Williams has appealed for the Opposition to support the new

will take to the air.

US and Afghan forces scoured Afghanistan's eastern highlands for Osama

defending a complex of caves and tunnels that served as their

headquarters. US warplanes suspended their bombing raids at the request of a local

Stufflebeem said in Washington. Asked where bin Laden was now, the Pentagon spokesman said, "anybody's

guess is the latest thinking". But President Bush expressed certainty it was just a matter time before

Australia is continuing to negotiate with the United States Government

in an effort to interview the Australian, David Hicks, who was captured

Australian Government is investigating reports that another Australian

has been fighting for Taliban forces in Afghanistan. "We often get reports of people going to different parts of the world

authorities interviewing him.

Yasser Arafat has accused Israel of escalating violence by killing three

Minister's office reported. President Chirac, meanwhile, said Mr Arafat remains the only negotiating

partner for Israel, in separate calls with Prime Minister Sharon and the

to continue its holy war and slamming his peace call as an invitation

for Mr Sharon to "exterminate" Palestinians. Mr Arafat has closed dozens of Hamas and Islamic Jihad offices in

separate shootings in the West Bank. The Israeli Army, which during the day said there had been a marked drop

in violence immediately following Mr Arafat's speech - killed three

prevent successive attacks, Israel has said it will take security

matters in the Palestinian territories into its own hands. Israeli troops operating in West Bank land nominally under Palestinian

dispute arbitrated. The parties were locked in private talks yesterday in the Industrial

Relations Commission after more than 3,000 maintenance workers earlier

action, escalate the industrial action if necessary to ensure that they

get a fair go from this company who seemed determined to crush them

Gillespie and Brett Lee picked up two apiece. Warne was named man of the match. Jacques Kallis was the major resistance for the Proteas, notching an

unbeaten 65. But he was ably assisted by his number 10 and 11 batsmen, Makhaya Ntini

innings, was out leg before wicket not playing a shot to McGrath. Lance Klusener and Kallis shared in a 33-run partnership, before

Klusener, on 18, edged Gillespie to Warne at first slip. Mark Boucher became the third duck of the innings, getting a glove to a

point from Warne's bowling. From there it seemed the match would be over in a matter of minutes,

with Ntini and Hayward not expected to offer much resistance. But Ntini batted for more than an hour for his four runs, sharing with

his toes, sending him to the ground for a lengthy examination of the

injury. He was out three balls later. Australia is now 1-0 in the best of three series. The next Test starts on Boxing Day at the MCG.

Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO) officials are trying to gain

access. Foreign Affairs Minister Alexander Downer has also confirmed that the

Hicks." Mr Downer says it is unclear when Mr Hicks will be back on Australian

soil, but he is hopeful the Americans will facilitate Australian

Relations Commission after more than 3,000 maintenance workers earlier

voted to reject Qantas' proposed wage freeze. The national secretary of the Australian Manufacturing and Workers Union

get a fair go from this company who seemed determined to crush them

underfoot," he said.

the new year. Twenty per cent were planning to take on extra staff compared with 15

per cent who said they had been shedding labour. Profit projections are well up, while investment intentions have

after midnight, local time and seized control of radio communications

equipment. The attackers, understood to be former members of the Haitian military,

to power in 1994 after a United States invasion. He was recently re-elected for five years.

A new report has revealed there are fewer young people using homeless

services.

The Federal Opposition wants tougher penalties for ships which spill oil

negligently cause oil spills, which seriously damage the environment are

subject to prosecution action," he said.

four other astronauts, landed at 12.55pm local time. Taking over from the trio are Russian commander Yuri Onufrienko and US

astronauts Carl Walz and Dan Bursch, who travelled to the station aboard

it orbits earth for the next eight months. The students will collect information in order to calculate the density

of the upper atmosphere, NASA said. On Saturday, Endeavour undocked from the space station after making a

Federal Science Minister Peter McGauran says he is confident security

measures at the Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in Sydney are adequate,

More than 40 people were arrested.

Mr McGauran says guards and police quickly had the situation under

assessment, and they decided these demonstrators, particularly given

their large numbers, could not be stopped.

Local Afghan commanders say the militants have been flushed out of all

their cave hideouts by weeks of heavy American bombing and a decisive

The U-S has conceded that the whereabouts of Osama bin Laden remain a

mystery despite reports that his Al Qaeda network appears close to

Bora mountains in eastern Afghanistan and point to bin Laden's

distinctive voice being heard on a hand held radio.

"We are in fact with these opposition force commanders down in the

vicinity of Tora Bora," he said.

flights over the Christmas period, despite threats of industrial action.

Qantas maintenance workers have rejected the airline's proposals for a

Mr Dixon points out 92 per cent of the airline's workforce have already

agreed in-principle to accept a wages freeze together with an incentives

out on strike, Qantas flights will not be disrupted.

Maintenance unions are refusing to soften their stance against a Qantas

force a resolution.

The Governor-General will issue a statement this week to answer

more than a decade ago.

Pressure has been mounting on Dr Hollingworth to speak out after public

The spokeswoman says Dr Hollingworth will issue a written statement in

the next few days after obtaining legal advice.

The number of people staying in the hotel du Palais at the time the fire

was not immediately known.

Firemen helped several hotel guests to safety through the windows of

their rooms.

The theatre was undamaged.

The condition of former Indonesian dictator Suharto has improved, a day

"He is still attached to an IV drip, but the doctors said 'Bapak'

(father's) condition is much better than yesterday's," a staff member

family house for celebrations to mark the Muslim festival of

Eid-al-Fitr.

He underwent an emergency appendectomy on February 24 this year.

The staff said doctors had planned on hospitalising Suharto on Sunday,

($AUD1.102 billion) of public funds during his time in office.

But he has repeatedly failed to appear in court to answer the charges

Party, was elected Prime Minister on the first ballot.

Sir Allan heads up a team consisting of the surviving members of the

militia, the Isatabu Freedom Movement.

That ethnic conflict has left the Solomons economy close to collapse and

Sir Allan says that he also hopes to get agreement on disarming rival

militias in the country within his first 100 days in office, in an

Sir Allan, a former policeman, says the police force, part of which took

part in last year's coup, needs to be overhauled.

Israelis has been met with a mixture of hope, scepticism and defiance.

Under enormous international pressure to halt the violence, Mr Arafat

sign, the Palestinian Authority has to act on its words.

"If he proves that he really means to act very very forcefully,

late on day four of the first Test at the Adelaide Oval. Chasing 375 for victory, the Proteas are 2 for 17 at stumps, with

openers Hershelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten back in the pavilion. Gibbs was out for 9 after chipping Glenn McGrath to Justin Langer at

ensuring South Africa would be chasing a big target. Hayden scored 131 before he was bowled by Kallis, attempting to lift the

run rate. His innings came from 207 balls, including 12 fours and four sixes. Waugh scored 74, before a top edge ballooned into the air and was safely

The hunt for Osama bin Laden has shifted to the forests around the cave

complex of Tora Bora after a swoop through the last caves failed to

hills, many heading south toward the Pakistan border.

Local commanders have warned they will shoot any villager who shelters

be bin Laden speaking by short range radio to his fighters.

However, a senior Afghan commander, Haji Zaman, said he believed bin

"There are still pockets of Taliban and Al Qaeda forces that have

drifted into the mountains and could reform and there is a good deal yet

Mr Arafat made the commitments during a speech broadcast on Palestinian

television.

more than words.

He has promised to round up suicide bombers before but very few in fact

The United States Government says it is keenly watching to see whether

Mr Arafat's actions match his words.

because of Mr Arafat's inability to control terrorists in his ranks.

Secretary of State Colin Powell says it is time for Mr Arafat to exert

The White House says it will continue to play a role in the Middle East

and expects its envoy General Anthony Zinni to return when he can play a

wages freeze.

The dispute involving 3,000 maintenance workers has been running for

company's latest offer.

The national secretary of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union

industrial action will continue and that will be Qantas'

responsibility," he said.

an unsustainable burden on a shrinking workforce.

Far from being an economic and social burden, it found the majority of

costs rise to unsustainable levels.

It says rising health costs are caused mainly by factors other than

The company, Yallourn Energy, believes Victoria's power supply is under

threat.

Mr Lee says the strike action has been timed to avoid power supply

interruptions in Victoria.

Mr Ward admits about 35 jobs at the plant will go when the company

modernises its coal mining operations.

The prime minister who was forced to resign after last year's coup,

Batholomew Ulufa'alu, has told national radio he has heard rumours that

massive import duty remissions on beer and cigarettes to favoured

importers despite the parlous state of the Government's finances.

submit their names to the sex offenders register.

The News of the World created uproar last year when it published the

paedophile Roy Whiting for the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne.

News of the Worl editor Rebekah Wade says it is the public's right to

you have a family with three young children then you have a general

right to know that to protect your children."

Adelaide.

The Australians will resume their second innings at 0 for 3, an overall

"I was very happy with our position in the match, 10 wickets in hand and

70 runs ahead on a pitch that's deteriorating. I think I'd much rather

be a great last two days."

Osama bin Laden admitted planning the September 11 terrorist attacks on

number of casualties.

He said he expected the fire and gas from the attacks on the World Trade

to a transcript translated into English from the Arabic.

"Due to my experience in this field, I was thinking that the fire from

The video tape showed bin Laden speaking to supporters in a room,

possibly in Kandahar in mid-November, the Pentagon said in releasing the

the beginning of the meeting.

"We had notification since the previous Thursday that the event would

Center."

"After a while, they announced that another plane had hit the World

The battle for Tora Bora appears to be heading towards a bloody climax.

Northern Alliance commanders have now abandoned all attempts to secure a

US aircraft have been bombarding the militants' position since first

light effectively blocking any possible retreat.

Senator Hill says the Government does not know much more than what is on

the public record about the 26-year-old's background.

motivated the man to fight alongside Taliban forces.

"In rare circumstances this does happen, as we know there's one American

Kashmiri militant groups denied involvement in Thursday's attack on the

Indian Parliament, accusing Indian intelligence instead.

achieve their motives about the Kashmir issue," the groups added in a

statement.

But the Kashmiri groups accused the Indian Government of masterminding

the attack in a bid to divert attention from what they called increasing

The woman infected with the bacteria, pseudomonas, was transferred from

Sydney's St George Hospital late last month to the Intensive Care Unit

circumstances surrounding the transfer of the infected woman.

New South Wales health authorities maintain the Queen Elizabeth Hospital

the effective and safe transfer".

A leading Adelaide microbiologist says resistance to antibiotics will

"If we continue to use antibiotics at the current rate we imagine that

the problem will just accumulate, we'll just get more and more resistant

headaches like this," he said.

Israeli helicopter gunships and warplanes have swooped again on

Gaza City, which had been pounded the night before in repeated air raids

after Palestinian militants killed 10 Israelis in the West Bank raid.

The police station was bombed last October after a Palestinian mob

lynched two Israeli soldiers there.

border crossing with Egypt in the southern Gaza Strip, killing one,

Palestinian hospital officials said.

Late Wednesday local time, following the bus ambush which killed 10

Jewish settlers in the West Bank, F-16s blasted security targets in Gaza

symbolic blow against Mr Arafat's increasingly shaky authority.

Israel's right-wing Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, with the backing of a

refusing to crack down on Islamic hardliners.

"I think we are close as we've ever been to a full military

very little central authority, or the Palestinian Authority will be

completely crushed," he said.

Pollock, will decide on their lineups after an inspection of the pitch

shortly before the start of play.

carried away but later on when we retire and look back on it it will be

significant.

countries about the fate of an Adelaide man suspected of fighting

alongside the Taliban in Afghanistan.

punishable by death.

"If the circumstances are permitted, he could be charged with treason

But the Defence Minister, Robert Hill, says it is too early to say

whether the Government will take legal action.

The Shadow Foreign Affairs Minister, Kevin Rudd, has urged the

Government to set up immediate diplomatic access to the suspected

The Australian Government is trying to ascertain whether he has broken

any Australian laws but says he could also be a prisoner of war in

sources here in Islamabad, is assisting in providing access to

individuals currently held by the Northern Alliance of varying

Israeli settlers in the West Bank, that killed 10 people, and a double

suicide attack in the Gaza Strip, that injured four Israelis.

The Government position was spelt out by spokesman Raanan Gissin.

"In no way does it imply or was there any directive to hurt to harm or

against Arafat when he represents terrorism, when he support terrorism."

The Federal Opposition says the unemployment rate has fallen because

But Mr Abbott says the latest figures are encouraging and he is not

overly concerned by a reduction in the number of people looking for

Labor leader Simon Crean says 4,000 jobs were created last month, but

32,000 people stopped searching for work.

Banking staff at Westpac and the National Australia Bank are striking

today for 24 hours, while workers at ANZ will follow suit tomorrow.

"Certainly pay's in there, it needs to be but the key issue for us has

been around workloads.

staff on the table, it's a very generous pay offer.

"We would also like to introduce a number of other initiatives that will

Mr Lording says there are contingency plans in place to ensure branches

can stay open.

been overwhelmed by support from union members.

About 700 construction workers have walked off the job for the third day

Collins streets when the crowd stopped to chant union slogans.

CFMEU Victorian secretary Martin Kingham says he has been astounded by

It is the last day of hearings before the Christmas break.

The Labor leader, Simon Crean, says senior Labor figures Bob Hawke and

process.

Mr Crean says they know what needs to be done.

Labor in 2002 to enable us to properly present and gain the confidence

of the majority of the Australian people," the Opposition leader said.

Daryl Cullinan's non-selection, while Proteas batsman Jacques Kallis

says there is no Australian bowler good enough to get him out.

on, as the rain that dogged the series also meant there were not as many

chances to take wickets.

they'll come in this series."

He says the Australian and South African sides are at level pegging, but

some good, hard cricket played out in the middle but the pressure's

probably on them rather than us."

was already flattened in air raids last Thursday, officials said.

The other targets were not immediately identified.

Israel launched almost simultaneous retaliatory strikes on Nablus, a

town close to the scene of the bus ambush.

taken a decision that Palestinian security forces will immediately close

down all Hamas and Islamic Jihad institutions, including education,

which three people were wounded.

The US special envoy to the Middle East, Anthony Zinni, told Mr Arafat

Marine Corps general said in a statement.

A radical offshoot of Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement, the Al-Aqsa

Lebanon's Shiite Muslim movement Hezbollah reported.

An Israeli Defence Ministry spokesman, in a statement received by AFP,

Afghanistan, in what could be the start of a raid against Al Qaeda

fighters, an AFP journalist said.

eight days as part of the hunt for Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden.

Several witnesses have spoken in recent days of seeing members of US or

US B-52 bombers and other warplanes staged a series of attacks on the Al

Qaeda positions in the White Mountains after bin Laden's fighters failed

said that all four were aboard the destroyer USS Russell which was

rushed to the scene after the crash.

Garcia, or flying from the Indian Ocean island.

It is thought the Australian arrested in Afghanistan for fighting

developed an interest in Islam.

He says Mr Hicks wanted to know more about the faith, but left after a

travelled to Kosovo in recent years and has not been seen for around

three years.

But a man known as Nick, told Channel Ten he is sure the man detained in

Afghanistan is his friend David.

had a few of his mates killed as well," the man said.

Australia and the United Nations have openly clashed in Geneva, over how

Mr Lubbers says some government leaders base their refugee policies on

fear and mistrust, instead of cooperating to share the burden.

Refugees' budget.

"When burden sharing is requested, we respond.

seekers.

The former managing director of One.Tel has denied claims he mislead the

ASIC claims that the true financial position of One.Tel was not made

known to the other directors of the company.

ago and that we haven't had an opportunity to respond to these claims

that they are now bringing to us," he said.

The action by members of the Finance Sector Union has been timed to

coincide with the banks' annual general meetings and is part an ongoing

"We've got a million hours of overtime being worked a week in this

industry [and] most of it is unpaid," Mr Derrick said.

assist our staff balance in particular their work and family life, we

would like to do a deal with the union," Mr Lording said.

"We are hoping to offer normal banking services for our customers," he

said.

murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne with a recommendation by trial

judge Justice Richard Curtis that he never be released.

foreman at Lewes Crown Court.

The jury of nine men and three women had been deliberating for nine

Prosecutor Timothy Langdale told the jury how the defendant threw the

child into the back of his dirty red Ford Sierra and locked the doors.

he produced a rope from his pocket and threatened to tie her up.

"What he actually threatened was that he would 'tie her mouth up'.

carrying out the attack in March that year.

But he was released in November 1997 despite warnings from probation

prison.

He was kept under supervision for four months after his release, but was

Sarah disappeared on July 1 last year, prompting a massive police

search.

Lockett approached the Sydney Swans about a return to the game last week

but after much media speculation, decided it was not in the best

In a statement released a short time ago, Lockett says last week he felt

rushed and did not feel comfortable with his decision.

The Pentagon believes it has finally confirmed the whereabouts of Osama

bin Laden to an area in eastern Afghanistan where the search had been

prompted a flurry of communications.

The United States intercepted those communications and the Pentagon now

"I don't want to go into details, it would have had the desired effect."

The United States has now deployed gunships along the Pakistani border

News of the charge came as President George W Bush delivered a major

foreign policy speech.

same funding and pledging the same commitment to kill Americans as the

hijackers," he said.

President Bush says the United States now needs a dramatically retooled

military, armed with hi-tech weapons and real-time intelligence.

culpable manslaughter after the tragedy which killed 21 people, 14 of

them Australians.

daughter-in-law Alissa, says he is satisfied and relieved with the

outcome.

the verdict means closure for his family

"I'm not of the view that anything that now comes out of this whether

Adventure World, but Bill Peel, whose son Billy died in the 1999

canyoning accident and is in Switzerland for the court hearing, has

The family of a Bendigo woman killed in the canyon disaster has also

welcomed the verdict.

children and we've got each other and family and life goes on even when

you don't want it to sometimes.

States Congress.

Mr Truss has led a delegation of Australian farmers to Washington

"We're especially concerned at the clear intent of the farm lobby to

seek to entrench a mentality of farm subsidies in the USA.

The secret Australian budget for the boat people pacific solution is set

at $400 to $500 million.

It covered everything from the defence costs in transporting boat people

to health care, camp construction and guarding asylum seekers.

bills.

Australia is pushing on with the Pacific solution, with agreement

Mitsubishi sources in Japan say that the car maker has applied for

strategic investment coordination.

The grant would be on top of the several hundred million dollars that

has already been promised to Mitsubishi under a car assistance plan.

information about what Australia's program will be heading to the next

World Cup qualifying attempt.

When a question was put to Farina about that issue Mr Knop stepped in to

stop the coach's answer.

a $10 levy on junior players to get the organisation out of debt .

He says the board of Soccer Australia is committed to see the junior

The 26-year-old man was arrested by the Northern Alliance at the

weekend.

"He is understood to have travelled to Europe in mid-1999 to join the

Kosovo Liberation Army, he then travelled to Pakistan November 1999

Turning grief into defiance, Americans have paused in remembrance, three

months after the deadly September 11 attacks, as a resolute President

the world honoured some 3,300 people killed on an unprecedented day of

horror.

In New York, firefighters, police officers and community leaders

assembled in the wreckage-strewn crater where the World Trade Centre

York mayor Rudy Giuliani, who shepherded his city through September's

tragedy.

unfurled in front of a gaping hole in the building, where reconstruction

is already under way.

those on a hijacked plane that crashed in rural Pennsylvania, apparently

after the intervention of passengers.

United States three months ago.

Zaccarias Moussaoui was charged in connection with the September 11

New York and the Pentagon outside Washington that left more than 3,000

people dead, Mr Ashcroft told a press conference.

The list of co-conspirators also includes the 19 hijackers who

commandeered the four jets that were used as aerial targets on September

Adventure World president Stephan Friedli, vice-president Peter Balmer

and director Georg Hoedle were each given a five-month suspended

All six will pay one-eighth of the court costs and one-eighth of the

plaintiffs' costs, about 27,000 francs each.

guilty or not guilty," Mr Dewar said.

"The guilty verdict at least leaves something open for civil action, we

canyoning accident, is disappointed with the verdict.

"It's Swiss law and we have to abide by it, I was very angry, very angry

some punishment anyway," Mr Peel said.

A United Nations panel of judges in East Timor has found 10 militia gang

priests and an Indonesian journalist, as well as carrying out other

murders in East Timor's Los Palos district.

forced residents of Los Palos to flee their homes.

They are the first people to be convicted of crimes against humanity in

to further easing to help bring the US economy out of recession.

It was the 11th cut this year to the federal funds target rate and the

Policy makers also cut the discount rate, at which commercial banks can

borrow from the Federal Reserve, by the same quarter-point margin to

The US economy officially slid into a recession in March, ending an

unprecedented 10-year expansion period.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1,570 people died from

drug related causes in the year 2000.

The bureau's David Payne attributes the decline of drug deaths to the

heroin drought in some parts of the country, better equipped ambulances

the figures are going in the right way, right direction," Mr Payne said.

The number of adults and children being diagnosed as obese is on the

number of people diagnosed as either obese or overweight has increased

by 2 per cent over the past two years.

Professor Britt says there has been a drop in deaths from heart disease

over the past two decades, but if the rise in obesity continues it could

children, using a new international standard.

She says the results are frightening for the future health of

said.

Nutrition Australia dietitian Rachael Bradford says the results, while

Ms Bradford said.

"There's a lot of automation with Australia because we are such a

mission to end 15 months of bloodshed, US and Israeli sources said.

On Sunday, Mr Zinni walked out of an Israeli-Palestinian security

meeting as positive.

A US diplomatic source told the Reuters news agency: "Zinni is

retaliatory Israeli air raids.

Milestones in the history of radio will feature on all six ABC radio

five-minute simulcast at 11:55am (AEDT) this morning.

They will play audio from the top 10 radio news stories of the past 100

About 60,000 bank staff will walk off the job this week in what is

thought to be the first national stoppage of its kind in three decades.

members to deliver their complaints first-hand.

"We have proxies from customers and shareholders, and we'll be attending

industry'."

Anti-Taliban fighters say they have captured key areas in the

attacks.

The video was found in a home in Afghanistan 10 days ago.

"He has no conscience and no soul ... he represents the worst of

civilisation."

war against terrorism.

Five military personnel have held discussions with a rebel Somali group

Strip.

It is the latest in a series of attacks designed to put pressure on the

Eyewitnesses report seeing them fire as many as four missiles into a

security post in the north-eastern township of Bayt Hanum.

Israel has accused Force-17 of direct involvement in the preparation and

execution of attacks against its people.

centre on remote Christmas Island.

It could be 48 hours before tests can confirm whether the disease has

A third child remains at the island's sports hall, where locals say

conditions are crowded and hot.

The Western Australian Health Department is briefing medical staff on

infection control procedures but locals have expressed concern the

Initial flights will be from Cairns to Osaka, Nagoya, Singapore, Taipei,

Hong Kong and Fukuoka.

An initial fleet of four Boeing 767-300 aircraft will eventually be

increased to 12 and services will be extended to every Australian

in Cairns, following yesterday's Queensland Cabinet approval of an

incentive package for the airline.

profitable.

Mr Adams says some maintenance work could be outsourced to Singapore,

airline will open up new routes from Asia for all international

tourists.

said.

Australia has linked $10 million of aid to a new agreement with Nauru to

Nauru's President Rene Harris.

Mr Downer inspected the Nauru camps and says they are are practical and

facilities and soccer facilities.

"Television is available, they can see 21 different channels on TV.

pilot.

The crash has been described as both a double tragedy and a miraculous

It levelled a 200-metre-long path through the vegetation before breaking

up and catching fire.

The aircraft had been flying from Port Augusta to collect a six-year-old

boy and take him to Sydney for a liver transplant.

The Australian cricket team has arrived in Adelaide to prepare for the

first Test against South Africa starting on Friday.

have both played.

"Cricket teams all over the world are made up of very different people

no problems, but that he does enjoy the rivalry.

South Africa will go into Friday's first Test against Australia in

Klusener.

Most of the Tora Bora mountain complex in eastern Afghanistan, where

the mountain.

"We have captured all of the Al Qaeda places with heavy weapons," he

the Soviets.

Earlier, Mr Ali's spokesman, Amin, told the AFP news agency that

said.

Four Saudi-born Al Qaeda fighters had been killed he added.

area with his followers.

The Israel Government has expressed regret and promised an investigation

Israeli forces were attempting to kill Mohammed Sidr, a man they say is

responsible for many attacks.

happen again, but we have to understand this is a war," Mr Mekel said.

Another Palestinian was killed in the West Bank town of Ramallah when

The meeting in Ramallah followed talks between Zinni and Israeli Prime

Minister Ariel Sharon, a day after the US envoy threatened to quit if

said.

Mr Arafat also pledged that he was determined to cooperate with the US

said.

United States Secretary of State Colin Powell said in Berlin that the US

trying to get the violence down so the negotiating process can begin".

He said "we will continue to work as hard as we can to get both sides",

Foreign ministers from the 15 EU member states issued the

strongly-worded message after talks in Brussels with Israeli Foreign

violence in the building industry.

Royal Commissioner Terrence Cole QC is investigating the claims.

Unions have been quick to express their dissatisfaction.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union's (CFMEU) John

other issues in the building industry," Mr Sutton said.

Several thousand Melbourne construction workers will walk off the job

various officials who are giving evidence today, including the CFMEU's

Martin Kingham.

whose fundamental rights he says have been sacrificed too often for the

good of the state.

Qantas maintenance workers will decide by secret ballot whether to

accept the airline's offer of an incentive payment from company profits.

Unions say the workers deserve a pay rise, while Qantas maintains it

cannot afford it because of the global downturn in the airline industry.

One person has died after a Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) aircraft

crashed near the city of Mt Gambier in South Australia's south-east,

The aircraft, with two crew members on board, had come from Port Augusta

to Mt Gambier to fly a six-year-old boy to Sydney for medical treatment.

No other details have been released and police have sealed off the crash

site.

The report reveals lung cancer now rivals breast cancer as the leading

cause of cancer death among women.

another trend is in the type of lung cancer which is believed to be

caused by changes in the design of cigarettes.

Conservationists have applauded the one-year jail sentence given to a

man who logged protected rainforest trees.

Heritage Protection and Management Act.

The Wilderness Society's Lyndon Schneiders says he hopes the court's

"That is the reason for implementing the World Heritage Management Act

and that's the reason for drawing up these plans.

swimmer of the year for the third consecutive year.

The champion 19-year-old dominated the July world championships in

Leg spinner Stuart MacGill, who is in the squad in place of pace bowler

Andy Bichel says he is not perturbed by reports of a clash of

and whilst I'm saying that 'yes, I am different to Shane', I'm also

different to Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie and it's the same thing I

against Western Australia in Perth with centuries from Jacques Kallis

and Neil McKenzie, and half centuries from Gary Kirsten and Lance

"I don't think it's lack of bowling that Allan's had, he's been working

really hard, he's had a lot of time off to rest, so I think he should be

The Pentagon says more than 80 strike aircraft - most of which were

FA-18 fighter jets flying from aircraft carriers stationed in the area -

In Washington, there is some division about what to do with the man

accused of the September 11 attacks.

forces they must be handed over to the United States to face justice.

The Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has suggested they could be tried

previous open trials to learn new ways to attack the United States.

A new study shows that nearly one third of the Aboriginal and Torres

arrest rates of the Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal population.

It finds that unemployment, alcohol and assault rates were the main

most likely avenue for reducing rates of abuse, alcohol abuse and hence

reduce arrest rates in those communities," he said.

passed at a board meeting on December 14 last year to pay Mr Williams a

termination payout worth three times his annual salary at $5 million.

Mr McGrath went on to outline requests from fellow director George

Sturesteps, who asked for twice his annual pay at the same meeting.

directors and that he was concerned as provisional liquidation seemed

imminent at the time.

before the Industrial Relations Commission.

Qantas has put an offer to workers but unions will advise members to

he said.

"Qantas have been the company that have been absolutely belligerent in

inch in bargaining."

Unions say maintenance workers deserve modest pay rises and an improved

decide by secret ballot whether to step up industrial action.

"Every time Qantas has come to the table they've been arrogant, they've

of the workers who are earning $30,000 a year."

Qantas says it is confident an agreement will be reached following the

following the Sydney Olympics.

The Melbourne Track Classic is a lead-up event to the Australian

After two weeks of frustration, he has given Israel and the Palestinians

a 48 hour deadline to make some progress or he would go back to

Palestinian groups to halt their attacks through to the end of Ramadan

next week if Israel agreed to stop assassinating their members.

upsurge in fighting in the past 10 days.

Authorities are trying to track down the crew of a vessel that landed

whereabouts of the crew, after the asylum seekers told authorities they

had left in another boat after dropping them off.

Mr Grant says the Sri Lankans have not yet been brought ashore.

The Royal Commission into the Building Industry has ended the first day

physically threatened.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) secretary,

The United States says a video tape found inside Afghanistan proves

beyond doubt Osama bin Laden was behind the attacks on the World Trade

plane had crashed into the World Trade Centre.

He is alleged to have told others present what had happened and they

piece of evidence confirming his responsibility," he said.

Republican Chuck Hagel of the Foreign Relations Committee says the

Osama bin Laden was said to be staging a defiant stand in the Afghan

mountains, as Taliban rule finally came to an ignominious end with the

"Osama himself has taken the command of the fighting," Mohammad Amin

told the Reuters news agency from the eastern city of Jalalabad.

"American planes have been carrying out regular and severe bombings to

kill him."

Taliban protectors handed over the Zabul province to tribal elders.

"The rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan has totally ended," the

the Afghan Islamic Press (AIP) said late Sunday.

The Pakistan-based news agency, quoting informed sources, said the US

pre-dawn raids on Sunday in the Mosh Khil area near Sharana, AIP said.

It said a mosque was destroyed in the raids.

suicide bombing in Haifa.

"Our operations are yielding impressive results but we have not finished

people.

The militant was seriously wounded in the botched attack and was quickly

settlement of Beit El and the Palestinian town of Ramallah.

Israeli cabinet ministers were driven to the meeting in an armored bus,

suicide bombings on Israeli cities in the past week.

Two Palestinians were killed and more than 120 injured in the air

McMenamin, says the 10-year study revealed a growing number of

Australians are involved in paedophilia, child pornography and child sex

offenders to promote sex tours, share images and information, and

establish international networks.

of children working as prostitutes, preferring to call them homeless or

children without support.

towards the needs that these young people have when they're on the

streets and they're really, really vulnerable," she said.

a better career structure for their 2,500 employees.

Bill Shorten of the Australian Workers Union (AWU) says the unions will

find ourselves in," he said last night.

Meanwhile, Ansett workers will sing Christmas carols in front of the

facing a bleak Christmas.

The News South Wales secretary of the TWU, Tony Sheldon, says the

promises, a lot of noise was made before the federal election but very

little in substance.

claims he was prevented from receiving a human rights award.

Dr Aamer Sultan had been awarded a special commendation at yesterday's

"I submitted a formal request to the centre manager who promised me that

he will present the matter to migration management here who are the main

The Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, has written a letter of

complaint to the Medical Journal of Australia, about an article penned

displayed symptoms of psychological distress at some time.

The article says 85 per cent acknowledged chronic depressive symptoms,

money winner for casinos, making up 80 per cent or $2.5 billion of total

income.

19 per cent for the year.

At the end of June this year, there was almost 11,000 poker and gaming

calling the federal election, prompting union claims of a political

witch-hunt.

Unions had initially refused to cooperate with the inquiry, but key

union figures, including Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union

the 100 metres butterfly.

Huegill beat fellow Australian Michael Klim, backing up after last night

Witnesses say undercover soldiers wearing masks arrived first, followed

by tanks and additional troops.

people.

Palestinian officials say two four-storey buildings inside the compound

delaying some Defence projects because of the cost of sending troops to

the war against terrorism, but says no projects will be scrapped.

delay some projects.

"Now what I'm saying is you can't enter into major undertakings like

would be affected.

Shadow Defence Minister Chris Evans says the Government should also come

Twenty-eight-year-old Mohammed Afroz, who undertook pilot training in

Australia in 1997 and 1998, has been charged with waging war against

skepticism about them.

The Attorney-General Daryl Williams says some of the detail of the

Government sources say they will not confirm if the request has been

granted.

suspect shot himself", Elkhart County Sheriff's Department said in a

statement.

Four victims were taken to Goshen General Hospital shortly after the

incident began around 3:00pm (7:00am AEDT) hospital spokeswoman Donna

told CNN that crack police squads eventually made their way in around

4:45pm.

who bordered his yacht, Seamaster, off the town of Macapa, in the mouth

of the Amazon River.

Ms Almao told the radio station she had gone to Macapa to identify the

body.

"They seem okay. The injuries they suffered were not serious."

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark says she feels devastated by Mr

Ms Almao said Brazilians were also in shock and were providing every

sort of assistance.

A Swiss fireman has told a court how he snapped a photograph of a body

being swept along by a two-metre high wave as a flash flood rushed down

"I needed proof that I was not deceived that there was a human being in

the wave," Mr Gerber said.

excursion, killing 18 tourists, 14 of them Australians, and three

guides.

Adventure World vice-president Peter Balmer of the need for closer

cooperation between his company and the emergency services.

"I finally called him again and said the fire brigade would not take

responsibility if anything happened."

the territory to 25 years of oppression, official documents released

today showed.

state Henry Kissinger on his plans for the former Portuguese colony

hours before the invasion, according to documents collected by George

East Timor to which Portugal was trying to grant autonomy.

"We want your understanding if we deem it necessary to take rapid or

Mr Kissinger, who has denied the subject of Timor came up during the

talks, appeared to be concerned about the domestic political

"The president will be back on Monday at 2pm Jakarta time. We understand

your problem and the need to move quickly, but I am only saying that it

administration's conduct on East Timor.

During a launch in 1995 for his book Diplomacy Mr Kissinger said

Lleyton Hewitt, after coach Darren Cahill decided to end his contract

with the talented 20-year-old.

Hewitt's managers late this morning.

In it Cahill says it has been a rewarding three years, and he is

Stoltenberg says he looks forward to helping Hewitt evolve his game

further.

A senior Taliban official confirmed the Islamic militia would begin

handing over its last bastion of Kandahar to Pashtun tribal leaders on

start this program...," former Taliban ambassador to Pakistan Abdul

Salam Zaeef told CNN in a telephone interview.

other persons, which they want to enter Kandahar by the support of

America, they don't allow to enter Kandahar city," he said.

imprisonment.

Police say Afroz was arrested on October 2 after he was found staying in

Razzak reportedly told police four al-Qaeda suicide squads in total had

been tasked to carry out hits on the World Trade Centre in New York, the

plane.

The Press Trust of India says Razzak spent $212,000 on flying lessons in

Mumbai police have reportedly recovered an "American credit card" from

Razzak and a passport with visas for Australia, Britain, Thailand and

claims that the "Pacific Solution" program is working well.

The Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, says he is pleased with the

asylum seekers.

"If the Pacific countries wanted refugees they can clearly raise their

Several people, believed to be as many as 35, have been shot at a

northern Indiana factory in the United States.

park in Goshen, which occurred around 3:14pm local time (7:14am AEDT).

"We're hearing as many as 35 have been shot but we can't confirm that,"

The city is about 200 kilometres east of Chicago.

The armed wing of the radical Islamic movement, Hamas has threatened to

clashes that erupted when Palestinian police put Sheikh Ahmed Yassin

under house arrest.

Stone-throwing youths were met with baton charges, but still the

Palestinian police do not have control around the Sheikh's house.

urging negotiation rather than confrontation.

Palestinian Authorities say they have detained 160 suspects but so far,

the Middle East, Anthony Zinni.

At the same time, the Bush administration is stepping up the pressure on

Mr Macfarlane told a gathering in Sydney last night, Australia's growth

is remarkably good by world standards and inflation should come down in

"Calendar year 2001 has been a difficult one for the world economy and

the first half of 2002 looks like remaining weak before recovery gets

"The Australian economy has got through the first half of it in

reasonably good shape."

Head of the Australian Food and Grocery Council, Mitch Hooke, says since

the laws were first proposed companies have been cutting genetically

sidestep their products.

"There is not a real and tangible benefit in the technology's products

Violence in the last week has claimed at least eight lives and left

thousands of people homeless.

militiamen taking up positions in the hills around the town.

In a region where fighting between Muslims and Christians has claimed

sailors in yachting history, was killed in a shooting in Amazonia,

Brazil, today, his sponsors said.

Amazon Basin.

The New Zealander won the America's Cup twice in 1995 and 2000 with Team

non-stop voyage.

He received an OBE for services to yachting in 1991.

Whitbreads and his 1989 victory in Steinlager 2 came with an

unprecedented clean sweep as his team walked off with line, handicap and

awards.

He was also chosen to succeed the late Jacques Cousteau as captain of

The man, in custody in India, is not an Australian citizen.

The Attorney-General, Daryl Williams, says the man left Australia in

"Can I say we are not aware of any specific threat in relation to this

man or any other person for that matter in Australia," Mr Williams said.

of Tennessee; Sergeant First Class Daniel Henry Petithory, 32, of

Massachusetts; and Staff Sergeant Brian Cody Prosser, 28, of California.

southern Afghanistan.

A tense stand-off is continuing in Gaza City between hundreds of

gunfire.

Up to 2,000 Hamas supporters have arrived from across the city after

groups must recognise who is in control.

"This is very difficult, but I don't think that we can surrender to

The Immigration Minister, Philip Ruddock, says the so-called Pacific

Solution is working as a way of deterring people from coming to

Mr Ruddock says the significant fall in the number of people arriving

illegally in Australia is a sign the Government would not change the

in any way ineffective, when clearly we had something like 1,000

arrivals in August, something like 1,200 in September and between the

committee, or razor gang, will try to make cuts before the next budget,

especially to programs which have served their purpose and are no longer

advertising for Government programs.

Mr Nelson will not identify any areas within his new portfolio which

interests of Australian taxpayers.

"I don't think there's anything that should be feared but seen to be

trip into the Saxet River.

A court in Switzerland has been told the huge wall of water which swept

Asked if they had received adequate training in weather analysis from

their Adventure World supervisors, they said they had.

For some of the Australians the day ended with an emotional visit to the

river where their children died.

over the space centre yesterday.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had earlier

commander Yuri Onufrienko and Americans Carl Walz and Dan Bursch - and

is due to return to earth on December 16 with the current crew members,

It was the first US space shuttle launch since September 11 when

hijacked airliners left around 3,500 people dead and missing in New

The 50 metres races were swum in an elimination format with four races

to determine the overall winner.

out of the water and really working turns and trying to nail finishes,"

he said.

told me to close my eyes [in the last 25 metres] and to absolutely go

for it," she said.

The winners of each event received five thousand dollars but Welsh had

an early night when he was the first eliminated in the 50 metres event

prizemoney will go towards paying for a $13,000 heater for the pool in

Queensland where she trains children.

a stray US bomb near Kandahar in Afghanistan, the Pentagon said.

The Pentagon had earlier confirmed that two US special forces soldiers

"We have an update since this morning, and unfortunately the number of

US forces killed is now three."

paves the way for a six-month interim administration headed by moderate

Muslim Hamid Karzai, from the dominant Pashtun ethnic group.

security force for Kabul.

The agreement was signed in the German city of Bonn by the leaders of

champions of peace," said Yunus Qanooni, the Northern Alliance's chief

negotiator and the interim government's interior minister.

The appointment of Karzai, a 44-year-old tribal Pashtun tribal leader

currently fighting the Taliban near their last stronghold of Kandahar,

country and put the Northern Alliance back on top.

Showing the strain from nine days of frantic diplomacy, Brahimi

suicide attacks in Australia.

The man was arrested a month ago in India on suspicion of links to Osama

Australia and Britain, as well as on the Indian Parliament.

The report says Mr Advani says Indian authorities have confirmed and

believes," Mr Downer said.

"I don't think this is a hoax or should be treated as a hoax.

The Government says if those on the list are not rounded up in time, the

army will resume its attacks on Palestinian targets.

So now, he has just 12 hours in which his men will be given free rein.

Mr Arafat has accused the Israelis of attempting to sabotage attempts to

in which 14 Australians died - have denied any wrongdoing in leading the

trip into the Saxet River.

weather conditions were inappropriate.

Asked if they had received adequate training in weather analysis from

number of trips they took and the number of people who accompanied them.

For some of the Australians the day ended with an emotional visit to the

all Reserve Bank interest rate cuts.

The association's Katherine Wolthuizen says while the Reserve Bank again

"They don't like being regulated and sometimes the threat of regulation

can cause them to amend their ways, but of course they do have a very

Traveland has announced it is shedding more than 500 jobs around

Australia, and Austar is letting 400 employees go.

"If people haven't been to us before they might get a pleasant surprise

at the range of services that we do offer to try and help them through

The 172-page document released on Monday says Australian firms could

become more competitive by outsourcing to India's information technology

But the department says the aim is to boost Australia's export potential

and encourage competitiveness in the industry.

tampering.

There was a heavy police presence around the three counting centres in

boxes are transferred to a single location.

A large contingent of international observers are monitoring the count

Australian swimmers have won nine of the 12 events contested at the

skins swimming event in Sydney last night.

"Every race is just getting better and better in terms of jumping in and

making sure that I nail the first 15 [metres] under water and exploding

She says former champion Kieren Perkins was behind her victory.

"I swam with Kieren this morning and he gave me some awesome advice. He

World champion Matt Welsh was the first swimmer eliminated from the 50

metres backstroke, which was eventually won by Australia's Ray Hass.

metres freestyle.

Julia Ham won the women's 50 metres butterfly and says the $5,000 in

terrible. It was like a spa," she said.

There has been another suicide bomb attack in the Middle East, this time

by flying glass when the explosion occurred near an entrance to the

former Hilton Hotel.

talks in Germany.

The United Nations says the administration, which will take over from

The 44-year-old former deputy foreign minister, who is currently

battling the Taliban around the southern city of Kandahar, is an ally of

transitional government.

Meanwhile, United States Marines are now reported to have been deployed

bin Laden is thought to be hiding.

In the south of the country, American marines are taking part in patrols

"They are prepared for engagements, they're a robust fighting force and

they're absolutely ready to engage if that's required," he said.

cent.

The cut has been quickly passed on in full by all the major banks and a

The bank says 2001 and 2002 combined will produce the weakest period of

growth since the early 1980s, although the threat of an even sharper

last.

"The Reserve Bank has certainly not closed the door to further rate cuts

September quarter.

Mr Costello is stressing the seriousness of the current global economic

Mr Costello is hopeful about the United States prospects next year and

says a pickup sooner rather than later in the year could keep Australia

Shadow Treasurer Bob McMullan says the Treasurer is left relying on

things out of his control.

The AFL's all-time leading goalkicker, Tony Lockett, will decide within

the next week if he will make a comeback.

Lockett back.

"We're not putting any undue pressure on him," Mr Templeton said.

fans knew him to hold a couple of years back," he said.

The Royal Commission into HIH has been adjourned until Monday after

at a later date.

The commission was due to hear evidence from Mr Lombe after the details

provisional liquidation on March 15.

It raises issues of intangible assets like tax and goodwill, being

The commission has also heard APRA had serious concerns about the

accounting practices being followed by HIH in July last year.

The agreement was due to be signed off before the last Northern

Territory election, but was delayed by the death of an elder's son.

Bellamack will be free for urban growth without native title concerns.

The Larrakia have also withdrawn their claim from the Archer Sporting

the south of the country since Monday.

Senator Hill says further deployments will happen as they are required.

administration would assume power on December 22.

Ahmad Wali Masood, brother of the assassinated legendary Alliance

Afghan groups negotiating in Bonn had submitted their lists of nominees

to the United Nations.

(of the Bonn accord) and thereupon enjoy international recognition,"

said a western diplomat among official observers at the conference.

the way for a democratic Afghanistan, to be signed at the Petersberg

talks on Wednesday.

Israeli F-16 warplanes launched a series of strikes on Gaza City, while

Apache helicopters fired rockets on Palestinian security offices in Khan

at the time, was unhurt.

But two policemen were slightly wounded, officials said.

The attacks came as Israel's Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said he did

not believe Israeli forces would take direct action against the

symbols of Mr Arafat's power.

Gunships destroyed Mr Arafat's three helicopters in Gaza City, while

Mr Arafat told CNN television that Mr Sharon was trying to torpedo his

own crackdown on terrorism with the airstrikes.

deliberate policy aimed at eliminating Mr Arafat.

"Arafat has been weakened by the harassment of the Israeli army ... and

Bush expressed "sympathy" with Israel and called on all sides "to do

anything they can to stabilise the situation".

The region had been braced for a huge Israeli retaliation after three

Palestinian suicide bombers from the hardline Islamic movement Hamas

of terrorism" and being "the greatest obstacle to peace and stability

in the Middle East".

strikes and Mr Sharon's accusation that Mr Arafat was "responsible for

everything that has happened here".

dispatch international observers to oversee the spiralling conflict.

Interest rates and economic growth take centre stage for Australian

ticking over well, while so many others around the world are in

recession or slowing sharply.

market consensus, that is actually a relatively very good outcome," he

said.

growth is being driven by the housing sector and those areas which are

related to the housing sector, such as retail trade and manufacturing."

production as well suggest that the domestic economy will be slowing as

we move into 2002," Mr Maguire said.

The Australian Trade Commission says there are signs of recovery on

global markets three months after the September 11 terrorist attacks.

expected to return by the third quarter of next year.

Mr Bayliss says while there are serious challenges ahead, Australian

a very aggressive approach to overseas marketing," Mr Bayliss said.

The Labor Party is set to have a wide-ranging review of its structures,

He says suggestions for party changes, such as the call by frontbencher

Joel Fitzgibbon for the scrapping of a New South Wales rule forcing

there without an end game in sight," Mr Ferguson said.

He says he is happy for the process to include looking at abandoning the

of union representation is the key to our future."

Computer virus experts have warned of a new "goner" computer virus that

warning.

The virus, also known as a worm, gets into computers via Microsoft's

The Goner worm then emails itself to every email address contained in

the user's address book".

McAfee is recommending that users upgrade their anti-virus software.

The company also warns against opening up unexpected attachments.

canyoning trip on that fateful July afternoon, he said the water level

was so low there would be enough time to evacuate the river if it

But like those before him, when asked if he remembered what the weather

conditions were like at 4:00pm that afternoon, he said he had not

River gorge to pay tribute to those they lost.

The New South Wales State Emergency Service (SES) says it has now

without power.

SES spokeswoman Laura Goodin says several hundred volunteers will be

Royal Fire Service and the New South Wales Fire Brigades and we're

expecting to have most jobs completed by about Friday," Ms Goodin said.

asking for payment from the storm victims.

Mr Aquilina has reminded householders that the SES is a volunteer

unlicensed tradespeople.

A survey of literacy and mathematical skills of 15-year-old Australian

The head of the Australian Council for Educational Research, Professor

Geoff Masters, says although the overall Australian results are very

Hundreds of fans stood vigil today for the immersion of George

Harrison's ashes into the Ganges river at the Hindu holy city of

He was closely attached to Benares, where devout Hindus come to scatter

the ashes of their dead relatives in the Ganges in a ritual symbolising

According to details of the ceremony released by members of the Hare

Krishna movement yesterday, Harrison's widow Olivia accompanied by son

upstream from Benares, a spokesman for the Hare Krishna group said.

Tomorrow Harrison's family members were supposed to take part in a

strewn into the river - this morning.

But as the day wore on, local administration officials and Hare Krishna

Set 440 to win, Australia finished the match at 7 for 381 with Adam

Gilchrist not out 83.

Captain Steve Waugh and Jason Gillespie both were given not out despite

television replays showing they were caught behind by wicket-keeper Adam

military operations against Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Authority.

The Palestinian leadership, meanwhile, appealed for intervention from

of Mr Arafat's protection, and the Tanzim military groups of his Fatah

faction on its list of terrorist organisations, a senior Israeli

In a series of incursions and air strikes, the Israeli military targeted

Mr Arafat's symbols of power, after holding him to account for a spate

the West Bank town of Ramallah, witnesses and Palestinian security

officials said.

killed 25 Israelis, earlier sent his airforce to blast the Palestinian

leader's heliport in Gaza and offices in the West Bank town of Jenin.

telling Israelis a "war of terrorism" had been foisted on the Jewish

state.

East," Mr Sharon charged.

Traveland's wholly-owned travel centres have ceased operating from

One of the administrators, Richard Albarran, says the deal, which is yet

to be approved by a committee formed today of creditors, will

They will now be entitled to make claims through the Travel Compensation

Fund.

"Ansett administrators are liable for perhaps the lion share of those

employee entitlements, we're confident that'll be met," Mr Foley said.

of all its activities.

As a result of this review, the Austar board has decided to outsource a

Austar has given assurances that redundant workers will receive their

full entitlements and redundancy payments in line with company policy.

Afghan opposition leaders meeting in Germany have reached an agreement

after seven days of talks on the structure of an interim post-Taliban

council composed of a chairman, five deputy chairmen and 23 other

members.

At the royal commission inquiry into the collapse of insurance giant

HIH, it has been revealed that a report on the solvency of the company

The commission was told that the report stated the view there was an

extreme risk the company's liabilities would not be satisfied.

APRA took no action to stop it.

The commission was told, one had to take into account people who took

1999 that ended with 21 people dying, 14 of them Australians, has denied

responsibility for the tragedy.

accident that was unforeseeable and not preventable.

Friedli said he was aware of the possibility the river could flood, but

Widespread damage from yesterday's violent storms in New South Wales has

forced the Government to declare more areas of the State natural

"It sounded like a freight train was about to hit our house.

"You could hear it coming with such ferocity and as it hit, all the

list of natural disaster areas.

New South Wales Premier Bob Carr has inspected one of the worst hit

The final damage bill is expected to be more than $10 million.

The Federal Government is under fire from unions over a new departmental

his support to the document from his department entitled "India: New

Economy, Old Economy".

The Community and Public Sector Union's Wendy Caird says the Government

seems to be encouraging local companies to export jobs to India.

not help Australia's rising unemployment.

Australian fast bowler Brett Lee has been fined $8,250 for yesterday's

The penalty represents 75 per cent of Lee's match pay for the five-day

Test.

Cabinet meeting after placing blame for recent suicide attacks squarely

on Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.

The Government was to discuss its policy on the Palestinian Authority,

which Mr Sharon implied was the enemy of the Jewish state and should

"Arafat has made his strategic choices, a strategy of terrorism: in

choosing to try to win political accomplishments through murder and in

all the brutalities facing us," he added.

"Tonight we heard a declaration of war," said chief Palestinian

a police headquarters in Jenin and the Palestinian leader's three

helicopters in Gaza City.

called for more suicide attacks against Israel at the funeral of a

gunman who killed a settler.

"The suicide operations will continue as long as the enemy continues its

occupation" of Palestinian lands in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, a

ourselves," he said, shortly before the air strikes began.

Security services have arrested some 100 militants from Hamas and its

"We call on armed groups to end immediately the direct targeting of

civilians which contravenes the most fundamental principles of

Opposition forces claimed to have captured half of Kandahar airport

after fierce fighting with Taliban troops as residents reported a

the operation and overrun a building that appeared to have been used as

an office by members of suspected terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden's

would fall by the end of the day, with the Taliban's defence tactics

hamstrung by aerial attacks from US warplanes.

had helped the push, according to fighters on the ground.

Residents who left Kandahar early Monday confirmed that there had been

an hour," he said.

"They are targeting the airport area and Taliban positions outside the

killed in a suicide attack by Taliban supporters.

"Some people told me that several Arabs with grenades strapped around

men after they crossed the border Monday. They were later dispatched to

Chaman hospital.

Osama bin Laden is believed to have a hideout.

Zaman, who directs military operations in Nangarhar province, said the

for a summit meeting with Indonesian President Megawati Sukarnoputri.

There have been talks underway since Mr Howard was re-elected on the

The two leaders met in Jakarta in August shortly after President

Megawati took on the role.

ties.

President Megawati signalled the relationship between the two nations

Ansett is successful.

The pair met with the Victorian Premier, Steve Bracks, yesterday to

Government, but a review of trade practices could be important.

He says he is also hopeful the Government will help break Qantas'

publicly that he would regulate it to 65 per cent," Mr Lew said.

He says the bid does not require any other government help.

trade practices review of the current airline situation."

A director of a defunct Swiss company that organised a canyoning trip in

day of their trial.

He described the deaths of 21 people in the Saxeten River Gorge as an

To the question, "you know what you are accused of, have you made any

mistakes?", Mr Friedli replied: "No, I don't think so".

when a tree fell on them at a reserve at Hornsby Heights in the city's

north.

declaration of natural disaster areas in Campbeltown, Hornsby, Warringah

and Kurringai.

to help them get back on their feet again," Mr Debus said.

Energy Australia says power has been restored to 35,000 customers and

suburbs which seem to be the worst hit of all, and that's around

Hornsby, St Ives, Turramurra and Frenches Forest," Mr Leete said.

The SES' Laura Goodin says it will take several days before the damage

is cleared up.

no new storms develop," Ms Goodin said.

Outside Sydney, the storms caused damage in north-east of the state and

around Tamworth, Gunnedah and Quirindi without electricity and telephone

services.

agreements, following the possible leak of a report to the media last

month.

their views.

"Of course fundamental principles of fairness require that before that

issue," he said.

Around 1,000 people have braved the cold for a vigil in the hometown of

Plans for a candlelight vigil had to be scrapped due to fierce northern

winds, and Harrison was honoured instead by dozens of pictures of the

Harrison's family requested a second minute of silence to be held at

9:30pm local time.

to see the Beatles when they were passing in a cavalcade. He was a

wonderful man," she said.

died as it has been really moving to see all the different memorials."

Just before the ceremony, students from Harrison's school, Dovedales

the final day of the series deciding third Test against New Zealand in

Perth aiming to win the game.

Australia continues to pursue victory.

"Hopefully we get through that without too much damage to our upper

being charged over alleged misconduct during day four of the match.

Lee faced a disciplinary hearing last night over an incident where he

South African match referee Jackie Hendriks will announce his verdict

before play begins today.

He says Australian forces will operate with US troops in southern

Afghanistan to fight the Taliban and Al Qaeda networks.

Jenin, when Palestinian gunmen opened fire on an army patrol and the

troops returned fire.

militants following a wave of suicide attacks in Israel, a Palestinian

security source told the AFP news agency.

smaller Islamic Jihad were rounded after Yasser Arafat's Palestinian

leadership vowed to crackdown on them for a wave of anti-Israeli suicide

The royal commission looking into the collapse of insurance giant HIH

says the possible leak of a confidential document is a criminal offence.

to the confidentiality requirements of a royal commission.

Justice Owen says there could have been a leak of a report on the role

"If so, there may have been a breach of section 6B (4) of the Royal

Commissions Act 1902, that is a criminal offence," he said.

during November.

ANZ chief economist Saul Eslake says it is the third drop in a row, to

official interest rates this week.

Meanwhile, the Olivier Recruitment Group's measure of Internet job

cyberspace during November.

The Olivier Internet Job Index is now the lowest it has ever been.

The Senate count for New South Wales has been finalised with Kerry

Nettle from the Greens taking the final position from long time

She has wished Kerry Nettle well, saying it is a great honour and a

great responsibility to be elected to the Senate.

Adventure World.

Twenty-one people including 14 Australians were killed when a

proceed with no safety provisions in place, that they employed

inexperienced staff and guides who had a lack of knowledge about the

subsidiary by the end of the working day.

Traveland went into voluntary administration last week for the second

"We're going to be getting back to those people who have expressed an

interest and there's quite a number and saying to them, 'put your best

France is celebrating victory over Australia in the Davis Cup tennis

final, after Nicholas Escude defeated Wayne Arthurs in four sets in the

indefinite break from the sport.

Arthurs, who has not played a singles match since October, says he was

done," he said.

Team captain John Fitzgerald has defended the decision to play Rafter in

"There was no guarantee he could play the doubles to start with, let

alone the singles and if he had a day off there was still no guarantee."

what do you want him to say?" he asked reporters.

French team captain Guy Forget says the victory in part makes up for

Escude says winning the match for France is the highlight of his career.

The Palestinian Authority has launched a crackdown on Islamic militants

A lone suicide bomber boarded a bus in the northern Israeli town and

detonated a device that killed 15 Israeli passengers, some of them blown

the Palestinian leadership should now be toppled.

A decision on a military response is likely to be made later today when

Strip.

Secretary of State Colin Powell says the United States believes Saudi

Appearing on the CBS "Face the Nation" program, Mr Powell reported on

the status of the US operation in Afghanistan.

Mr Powell says US President George W. Bush does not care how long the

campaign takes.

The United States has a total of 1,500 to 2,000 troops on the ground in

Afghanistan, according to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

The US forces also include light infantry troops in the north.

Mr Rumsfeld also confirmed non-US coalition forces are also on the

break its close link with the United States economy and resist following

it into recession.

recession.

BankSA's acting managing director Colin Taylor, says Australia is now

said.

"What we're finding at the moment is that the Australian economy is

remain low and will contribute to an economic boom in the middle of the

decade.

Federal Police (AFP) and Department of Immigration.

Naeil Ahmad Abdullah, 41, was arrested in Malaysia last month for

"What we often forget is this is transnational crime at its best," he

said.

of insurance giant HIH.

While the commission held an initial procedural hearing in September,

Investments Commission (ASIC) and the Prudential Regulatory Authority.

The terms of reference include determining what contributed to the

A spokesman for the commission, John Dickie, says it faces a great

challenge.

manslaughter of 18 tourists and three guides, after the 1999 Interlaken

canyoning tragedy.

Gorge near Interlaken.

A massive wall of water hit the group and swept them to their deaths.

If convicted they face one year jail sentence.

There is a renewed attempt to move the debate over choosing an

and Australian head of state.

A committee will meet in about four weeks to work on the next step in

get this process going and carried forward.

"Now we have to persuade our political leaders that it is something they

cow has the disease.

Officials say all meat and organs from the dairy cow will be

The government has not determined the source of the outbreak.

Unions and a major electricity producer will take part in

The Victorian State Government has called in Yallourn Energy and power

industry unions to try and resolve the dispute, which could lead to

being reached last year, it still has not been signed off.

Yallourn Energy takes the matter to the Industrial Relations Commission

that is for the parties to sit around the table and negotiate an

outcome," she said.

the appointment system for an interim administration.

President Rabbani has objected to the plans for an interim government to

President Rabbani says he would prefer local Afghan factions drew up

their own internal security forces of around 1,000 personnel.

delegation's ability to commit the Northern Alliance to any course of

action decided upon in Bonn.

As the youngest Beatle, he had to be snuck in underage to venues prior

to the band's phenomenal success in the early 1960s.

Resentment built up and Harrison withdrew from the limelight.

After the Beatles broke up he found solo success in 1971, with the track

In later years he was beset by lung and throat cancer.

He was lucky to survive a stabbing by an intruder in his UK home in

away on time this morning, despite passengers being checked-in through a

tent.

agreement with Ansett to use the check-in facilities for its lunchtime

Launceston to Melbourne service but this could be terminated with seven

Mr Sherrard says he has not heard from the administrators since.

"Basically they were unwinding the contract that we had and we certainly

believe is successful research into using human embryo cells to repair

brain damage.

The announcement sparked recriminations from US Congressmen with

President Bush saying he was 100 per cent against any type of human

other brain tissue.

While the research could prove useful in treating a variety of

people are living with HIV world-wide.

The latest United Nations report on the AIDS epidemic has found Eastern

report 1 per cent of its adult population is HIV positive.

The officials say a combination of economic insecurity, high

next three years.

Liberal Party President Shane Stone is reported as saying amalgamation

not necessary.

"I guess you cannot categorically rule out anything. There will be

of five discussed at an historic conference, starting in Corowa today.

The conference is part of Centenary of Federation celebrations and

They would decide on whether the monarchy should be replaced, the

codification powers for a head of state and the choice of a republic

opporunity to choose or be consulted at every stage of the process."

Australia will take on France in the doubles rubber of the Davis Cup

match and Australian team captain John Fitzgerald suggested he might do

just that.

"Todd is the best doubles player in the world right now so I expect him

to play," he said.

Rafter overcame an arm injury to defeat French number one Sebastien

Grosjean in three sets.

Rafter levelled the score after Lleyton Hewitt's shock five set loss to

Nicholas Escude in the first singles rubber.

even if we were down 2-0 I still feel we are a good enough team to win

and vice-versa, they are good enough team to beat us as well."