AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Feb 14

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2006
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Feb 14
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


AWB Iraq wheat

Iraq's indicated it could still buy wheat from Australia .. after cancelling a tender
with the US.

The Iraq Grains Board has suspended dealings with Australian wheat exporter AWB ..

until the Cole inquiry into bribes paid by the company to SADDAM HUSSEIN's regime is complete.

But an official now says the US is demanding too much for its wheat .. and Iraq will
look to other suppliers .. including Australian companies not connected to AWB.





There's likely to be plenty of Australian wheat .. because good rainfall and moderate
temperatures are expected to bring in the second largest winter grain crop on record.

The nation's chief commodities forecaster says the wheat crop's expected to be 11 per
cent bigger than last year's .. at 25 million tonnes.



Indon Nine Chan (DENPASAR)

Accused Bali Nine enforcer ANDREW CHAN .. will be praying for divine intervention ..

before he faces Indonesian judges today.

CHAN .. who claims to have rediscovered his faith behind bars .. will meet with Australian
Christian minister ED TROTTER.

Mr TROTTER says they'll pray to God to intervene .. and to give strength .. peace ..

and power to ANDREW .. to get him through.

CHAN and fellow accused MYURAN SUKUMARAN are potentially facing death by firing squad
.. for their part in the failed heroin smuggling operation.

Also in Denpasar Local Court today are alleged drug mules .. MARTIN STEPHENS and MICHAEL
CZUGAJ .. who are expected to receive the same life sentence meted out to RENAE LAWRENCE
and SCOTT RUSH yesterday.



Newspoll (SYDNEY)

The federal government's popularity has taken a hit as it battles a flood of bad publicity
over the Iraqi wheat bribes scandal.

A Newspoll out today shows the coalition's primary vote has slumped three points to
41 per cent .. while Labor's jumped three points to 39 per cent.

The poll .. published in The Australian .. shows Labor ahead 51 to 49 per cent on the
two-party preferred vote.



Abortion Vale (CANBERRA)

MPs from all partied have criticised Liberal backbencher DANNA VALE for saying Australia
is aborting itself out of existence .. and could become a Muslim nation in 50 years.

The former federal minister made the comments at a news conference yesterday about
the RU486 abortion pill.

Immigration minister AMANDA VANSTONE says Ms VALE has no understanding of Australia's
immigration program .. and her comments are completely unfounded.

And Deputy Labor leader JENNY MACKLIN says Ms VALE should apologise for her offensive
and unhelpful comments.



Paddock (MELBOURNE)

A man will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates court today charged with the execution-style
murder of another man in a paddock west of Melbourne.

Police say the body of 32-year-old SON VAN DUONG was found beside Middle Road at Truganina
on January 16.

His hands had been tied behind his back and he had been shot once in the head.



Cartoons Canada (OTTAWA)

A conservative Canadian political magazine has published eight of the 12 cartoons depicting
the prophet Mohammed .. prompting anger from local Muslim leaders.

The Western Standard's EZRA LEVANT says he's reprinted the drawings to support free
speech .. and because they're at the centre of the largest news story in the world this
month .. namely Muslim riots.

Meanwhile .. Australian cartoonist MICHAEL LEUNIG has has denied entering an international
competition seeking cartoons about the Holocaust.

An Iranian newspaper launched the contest in retaliation for the caricatures of MOHAMMED.

Mr LEUNIG says he learnt last night that a couple of his cartoons were submitted without
his knowledge.

He says the Iranian paper withdrew them .. as soon as he asked it to.



Guantanamo US (NEW YORK)

A draft United Nations report reveals treatment of detainees at Guantanamo Bay violates
international law and in some cases constitutes torture.

The Los Angeles Times says the study .. which will be officially published at the end
of the week .. urges the US to close the detention centre in Cuba and try the captives
on American territory.

The US is holding about 500 people described as "enemy combatants" at the camp on suspicion
of links to terrorist organisations.



BRIEFLY:



McDonald's has acknowledged its french fries in America are not completely free of
gluten and lactose .. because the oil it uses to fry them is flavoured with wheat and
dairy products.




United Nations peacekeepers in Haiti have opened fire on protesters .. killing at least
one and wounding four.




At least 15 people have been killed on a bloody day of bombings and attacks in Iraq
.. including four policemen gunned down on their way home from work.




and .. the director of the International Shark Attack File says the number of shark
attacks worldwide dropped last year .. continuing a five-year trend.




IN FINANCE:



On the Australian share market .. the S&P/ASX 200 index is UP 34 points at 4852 ..

and the all ordinaries is UP 32 points at 4797.

The Australian dollar is trading at 73-point-74 US cents .. UP from yesterday's close
of 73-point-69.

Gold bullion is trading at 537-point-50 US dollars an ounce in Sydney .. DOWN 8-point-75
from yesterday's close.




IN SPORT:



Oly06 (TURIN, Italy)

Australian snowboarder TORAH BRIGHT has fallen just one point short of an Olympic medal
in the women's halfpipe event .. finishing fifth.

BRIGHT popped her shoulder after her first run in the final and had to receive attention
before her final attempt.

HANNAH TETER of the US won gold ahead of compatriot GRETCHEN BLEILER and Norway's KJERSTI BUAAS.



Oly06 FSkate (TURIN, Italy)

Meanwhile .. Russian pair TATIANA TOTMIANINA and MAXIM MARININ have performed the best
free skate routine of their career to win a figure skating gold at the Winter Olympics.

It's the 12th consecutive Olympic pairs title for a Russian or Soviet team.




In other Olympic news .. SVETLANA ISHMOURATOVA grabbed a surprise gold in the women's
15km biathlon .. missing only one target in the shooting segment.

And American JOEY CHEEK has won the 500-metre speed skating event.


ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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