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

AAP General News (Australia)
08-15-2001
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 15
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430


Detention (CANBERRA)

An Iranian boy hospitalised after allegedly being driven into withdrawal by the horrors
of immigration detention will be placed in foster care.

The parents of six-year-old SHAYAN BEDRAIE say their son has refused to speak, eat
or drink since witnessing several suicide attempts in detention, including one on which
an inmate set himself on fire.

Smuggled video footage of the boy shown on ABC television has renewed calls for an
independent judicial inquiry into immigration detention.

SHAYAN's father last night agreed to drop his opposition to placing SHAYAN with a foster
family near the Villawood detention centre.

Immigration Minister PHILIP RUDDOCK has hinted tensions within the family may be to
blame for the boy's condition, as SHAYAN is a stepchild and not the father's natural son.



Lamb decision (SYDNEY)

The federal government has agreed to give the United States till the end of the month
to negotiate on lamb import tariffs.

Australia had until 1am (AEST) this morning to ask the World Trade Organisation to
begin arbitration proceedings against the US.

Australian farmers have called for the government to begin arbitration now - after
a ruling the tariffs breach international rules.

But Trade Minister MARK VAILE says Australia has reserved the right to pursue arbitration
later - and will not lose any time as a result.



Mideast (JENIN)

Prospects for an end to Mid-East violence have dimmed after Israeli tanks thrust into
the Palestinian town of Jenin.

The strike in retaliation for recent suicide bombings is the deepest incursion into
Palestinian territory in the West Bank since the uprising flared 11 months ago.

The Palestinian Authority has branded the operation a "declaration of war" - and says
it is appealing to the United Nations Security Council for international protection.

Meanwhile medical workers say a Palestinian man has been blown up in the West Bank
city of Nablus while preparing a bomb.



IRELAND (Belfast)

Northern Ireland's peace process has been dealt another blow - as controversy rages
over the arrest of three alleged Irish Republican Army members in Colombia.

The IRA has withdrew its unprecedented offer on disarmament - dashing the immediate
prospects of salvaging the province's power-sharing government.

Meanwhile, the arrest of the three men accused by Colombian authorities of training
anti-government guerrillas has heightened scepticism over the IRA's intention to disarm.



Macedonia (BRUSSELS)

NATO is moving quickly to send troops into Macedonia on a delicate mission to collect
weapons from ethnic Albanian rebels.

Sporadic battles are still reported barely 24 hours after the signing of a peace deal
between the government and rebels fighting for increased civil rights.

Meanwhile - peacekeepers in Kosovo have come under fire while detaining suspected members
of an ethnic Albanian guerrilla group operating in Macedonia - but no-one has been injured.



Iraq Airstrike (WASHINGTON)

The Pentagon says US warplanes have bombed a surface-to-air missile site in southern
Iraq today to knock out a radar that helps target western aircraft.

On Friday, dozens of US and British warplanes struck three air defence sites in southern
Iraq - following earlier strikes in northern Iraq.



Maternity (SYDNEY)

It's reported that women staff at the Australian Catholic University have won the right
to a year's paid maternity leave - in a deal that could pave the way for other workers.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports the says the agreement is unprecedented.

Women with two years' service will receive their full salary for 12 weeks and then
60 per cent for the remainder of their year off.

The agreement outstrips the legal minimum requirement of a year's unpaid parental leave.



Nurses Vic (MELBOURNE)

Almost 900 Victorian hospital beds were reopened last night as the state government
and nurses agreed to return to the negotiating table over staffing levels.

But the nurses warn if talks fail again they they will reinstitute work bans - and
the government says it will respond with court action.



Police Vic (MELBOURNE)

Meanwhile - hopes of renewed talks between Victorian police and the government have
emerged as several police stations closed overnight - in a third night of industrial action.

Police Minister ANDRE HAERMEYER has agreed to meet with union heads over their call
for Victorian police to be paid as much as their New South Wales counterparts.



Gunman Rhodes (SYDNEY)

New South Wales police are seeking a man they believe may be able to help them in the
investigation into the murder of chef STUART RHODES.

Mr RHODES' body was found stabbed near a roadside rest area on the Stuart Highway south
of Alice Springs -- and police have still not ruled out a link to the disappearance of
British tourist PETER FALCONIO 350km north.

The police now want public help to locate ANDREW CRAIG HEFFERNAN - last seen in Sydney
and believed to be heading towards the mid-north coast of New South Wales.

They say anyone who knows his whereabouts should not approach him, but should contact police.

Mr HEFFERNAN is described as a 25-year-old European about 190cm tall, of thin build,
with short dark hair.



JAPANSHRINE (Tokyo)

Anger has exploded throughout Asia today over the Japanese prime minister's visit to
a controversial shrine - where war criminals are buried.

Korean students have burned Japanese flags and Philippine women forced into sexual
slavery during World War II have staged protests.

China's state-run media has sharply criticised Tokyo, saying the visit is a sign of
resurgent Japanese militarism.



US Cruise Cruz (LOS ANGELES)

Actor PENELOPE CRUZ has showed up at the premiere of her new movie - "Captain Corelli's
Mandolin" - with TOM CRUISE on her arm.

39-year-old CRUISE arrived alone last week for the premiere of "The Others" - a film
he produced which stars his ex-wife, NICOLE KIDMAN.

CRUISE and CRUZ started dating after working together on the upcoming romantic thriller
"Vanilla Sky".



BRIEFLY



Afghanistan's ruling Taliban has again denied western diplomats access to foreign aid
workers including two Australians detained in Kabul for promoting Christianity.




Pakistan's military ruler General PERVEZ MUSHARRAF has promised to hold nationwide
elections next year - but has given no indication that he intends to give up the leadership
he seized in a coup.




Police in Sydney are today continuing their investigation into three firebomb attacks
on vehicles driven by NRMA staff - as the insurance giant bolsters security around staff.




Figures on wages in Australia are due out today - with economists predicting only a
small rise posing little threat to inflation.




Former Labor MP PETER NAGLE says he's shocked at an out-of-court settlement with his
electoral secretary - who alleges she was mistreated - as he wanted a chance to refute
her claims.




Zambian Archbishop EMMANUEL MILINGO has decided to return to the fold of the Roman
Catholic Church - breaking his relationship with a Korean woman he married in one of the
Reverend SUN MYUNG MOON's mass weddings.



IN SPORT



CRICKET AUST TEAM (LEEDS, England)

SIMON KATICH will become Australia's 384th Test cricketer against England at Headingley,
starting Thursday.

The 25-year-old KATICH replaces injured skipper STEVE WAUGH in the Australia middle
order for the fourth Ashes Test.





TRI AUST (PERTH)

Former fullback CHRIS LATHAM looks poised to replace axed winger ANDREW WALKER in the
Wallabies team for Saturday's Tri-Nations rugby Test against South Africa in Perth.

An embarrassed WALKER is expected to start making amends today after his unannounced
walk out from the Wallabies to visit his pregnant wife.




AAP RTV ge

KEYWORD: BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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