AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 15

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2006
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Aug 15
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


Poll Qld Date (Brisbane)

Queenslanders will go to the polls on September 9 .. in what Premier PETER BEATTIE
says will be the biggest fight of his political life.

Mr BEATTIE says he would have preferred to wait until February to hold the election.

But he says the pending retirement of Bundaberg MP NITA CUNNINGHAM due to ill-health
only gave him two options .. a byelection or a statewide poll.

He says it's 65 years since the ALP won a fourth term .. but he's hoping the people
of Queensland will realise his team offers the only viable option of a stable and unified
government.

Mr BEATTIE says he won't lead an opposition party if he loses the election.



Migration Burke (CANBERRA)

Labor immigration spokesman TONY BURKE says it's unlikely the dumping of tough asylum
seeker laws will open the floodgates to refugees.

The Indonesian Foreign Ministry has expressed regret over the scrapping of plans for
tougher border protection .. saying the outcome could be interpreted as Australia opening
the door to asylum seekers.

But Mr BURKE says Australia shouldn't respond to commentary from Indonesia .. on Australian
domestic laws.

The prime minister yesterday withdrew the bill .. which would have ensured all boatpeople
arriving in Australia were processed on Nauru .. beyond access to our appeal options.



Obesity ads (SYDNEY)

Parents wanting to take a stand against manipulative TV junk food ads .. are being
encouraged to nominate their most hated ads online.

The Children's TV Food Advertising Awards .. held annually by lobby group .. The Parents
Jury .. aims to raise awareness for misleading techniques used to sell junk food.

Among the categories is the Pester Power Award .. for advertisers who use free gimmicks
to encourage children to nag their parents.

It was won last year by the McDonald's Happy Meal .. which offered a free computer game.



Mideast Fox McNaught (WELLINGTON)

BBC World television presenter ANITA MCNAUGHT is going to Israel to help secure the
release of her husband .. New Zealand cameraman OLAF WIIG .. who's been kidnapped at gunpoint
in Gaza City.

Speaking from Syria .. the former NZ television and radio presenter says she's always
known what she'd have to do if something like this happened.

WIIG and US reporter STEVE CENTANNI were kidnapped by Palestinian gunmen .. while
they were in their vehicle .. parked near the headquarters of the Palestinian security
services.

Fox News is negotiating for the two men's release.



Ajax (MELBOURNE)

Unions say production will stop at a Melbourne car component factory tomorrow morning
.. if administrators don't agree to underwrite workers' entitlements.

The Australian Workers Union has held talks with employees at Ajax Fasteners in suburban
Braeside this morning .. to discuss a proposal put forward by General Motors Holden.

AWU Victorian secretary CESAR MELHAM say they've received an offer from Holden to underwrite
the company until 5pm Friday.

But Mr MELHAM says after that .. there's no guarantee from Holden of any more financial
commitment.



Hicks Pollies (CANBERRA)

Labor has again called for Guantanamo Bay detainee DAVID HICKS to be brought before
a court of law.

Attorney-General PHILIP RUDDOCK has told Fairfax newspapers .. the government wants
a US military tribunal to prosecute the Adelaide-born terrorist suspect and have fresh
charges in place by November.

Labor's homeland security spokesman ARCH BEVIS says HICKS should either be brought
before a proper court or released.

Labor backbencher GRAHAM EDWARDS says whatever it is HICKS has done or hasn't done
.. it's an absolute disgrace the Australian government has let him be treated in the way
that he has been by a foreign power.



Dell Battery (DALLAS)

Dell says it will recall 4.1 million notebook computer batteries .. because they can
overheat and catch fire.

Dell says the batteries were made by Sony .. and placed in notebooks shipped between
April 1 2004 .. and July 18 this year.

The battery packs were included in some models of Dell's Latitude .. Inspiron .. XTS
and precision mobile workstation notebooks.

There have been a number of recent news reports about Dell laptops bursting into flames.



US passports (WASHINGTON)

The United States has begun issuing "e-passports" carrying data embedded in electronic
chips .. despite concerns the high-tech documents could be read remotely by hackers.

The State Department says the new generation of electronic passports include biometric
technology .. that takes security and travel to a new level.

The passports have a contactless chip in the rear cover that contains the same data
found inside .. including name .. date of birth .. passport number and dates of issue
and expiration.

The chip .. also contains a digital image of the passport holder and could in future
hold biometric details like fingerprints.



Sci Pluto (PRAGUE)

Nearly two and a half thousand astronomers from 75 countries are defining what qualifies
as a planet .. and whether Pluto should still be regarded as one.

The discovery last year of an object larger and further away than Pluto threw cosmic
definitions into chaos.

Scientists .. gathered in Prague for a 12-day conference .. are considering whether
to remove Pluto's status as a planet .. and to bring the new one .. nicknamed Xena ..

into the fold.



IN FINANCE



At 1120 AEST, the benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index was DOWN 26 points to 4954.4

The all ordinaries index was DOWN 25 points to 4913.5.

The Australian dollar was trading at 75.95 US cents, DOWN from 76.75 at yesterday's close.

It was at 59.69 euro cents, DOWN from 60.14 on yesterday.

In Sydney, gold bullion was trading $2.08 DOWN at $US628.3 an ounce, from yesterday's close.

IN SPORT:

AFL Tribunal (MELBOURNE)

West Coast utility DANIEL CHICK has taken an early guilty plea and accepted a one-match
ban for striking, ruling him out of the Eagles' AFL clash with Brisbane on Sunday.

Had CHICK been unsuccessful in contesting the charge he would still only have missed
the one match.

The former Hawthorn player was reported for striking the Kangaroos' JESS SINCLAIR during
last Saturday's match at Subiaco.

Fremantle skipper PETER BELL has also pleaded guilty to striking Adelaide's NATHAN BASSETT.

But BELL's good record means he will only receive a reprimand.



League Knights (Sydney)

The Newcastle club is seeking more time to consider its options before deciding whether
to take captain ANDEW JOHNS' grade three contrary conduct charge before the NRL judiciary.

The Knights have until midday to decide whether to lodge an early guilty plea or opt
for a hearing tomorrow night but a club spokesman says they're seeking an extension.

An early guilty plea would see JOHNS suspended for three games, including the first
week of the NRL finals.

If he unsuccessfully contested the charge he would be banned for four matches.





ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

Broadcast Desk inquiries 24 hours: 02 9322 8714

AAP RTV bart

KEYWORD: MIDDAY ROUND-UP

) 2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.