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

AAP General News (Australia)
12-19-2011
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Dec 19
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


Indon Ship Wrap (CANBERRA/JAKARTA)

Federal police officers will assist Indonesian authorities investigating the people
smugglers whose vessel capsized off the Java coast with the loss of up to 200 lives.

An Australian navy patrol boat and a surveillance aircraft will also assist the ongoing
search-and-rescue operation when it resumes later today.

The overloaded vessel, carrying more than 200 people from Afghanistan and Iran, capsized
in high seas on Saturday, but Indonesian officials say only 33 people have been rescued
so far.

Rescuers have battled high waves as they search for the asylum seekers from Afghanistan,
Iraq, Iran and Turkey.



Qantas (SYDNEY)

The long-running dispute between Qantas and its engineers has ended, with the union
saying it's locked in job security for its members.

Almost two months after Qantas chief executive ALAN JOYCE grounded the entire fleet,
the airline and the engineers' union will present Fair Work Australia with an agreement
today to end the stand-off.

Australian Licensed Aircraft Engineers Association federal secretary STEVE PURVINAS
says the four-year deal secures a three per cent annual pay rise and protects the engineers'
existing work functions.

Mr PURVINAS says they'll be approaching Fair Work Australia this afternoon (2pm AEDT
in Sydney) and announcing that it's an agreed position between the two parties.



Naden (SYDNEY)

The search for alleged killer MALCOLM NADEN could be scaled down over Christmas.

Assistant Commissioner CARLENE YORK, who heads the operation for NADEN's capture, says
police will decide over the next few days whether to reduce the numbers of officers on
the ground.

Ms YORK says Christmas is a busy time for police, especially in the northern region,
but there will be resources she can call on if new information comes through.

NADEN is wanted over the death of 24-year-old mother-of-two KRISTY SCHOLES in 2005,
the indecent assault of a 15-year-old girl in Dubbo in 2004 and for questioning over the
disappearance of another 24-year-old woman in January 2005.



Meldrum (SYDNEY)

MOLLY MELDRUM's brother says he's staggered by the outpouring of concern and support
for the music legend, who remains in an induced coma in hospital.

The 65-year-old suffered serious head injuries after falling while putting up Christmas
decorations last Thursday.

MELDRUM's brother, BRIAN, says he's in a stable condition at The Alfred Hospital in
Melbourne, and doctors are cautiously optimistic about his recovery.

BRIAN says both he and his family have been comforted by the amount of support for
his brother, especially from strangers.



PNG (PORT MORESBY)

The government of PETER O'NEILL is expected to apply to the Papua New Guinea Supreme
Court today to stop rival Sir MICHAEL SOMARE from issuing instructions as prime minister.

The move comes as police commissioner TOM KULUNGA attempts to overthrow a restraining
order stopping him from arresting FRED YAKASA, the man chosen by Sir MICHAEL as police
commissioner.

Mr O'NEILL, who declared the crisis over yesterday and appears firmly in control of
government, has invited his political opponents - minus Sir MICHAEL - back into parliament
this week to debate a series of bills.



Poll Qld (BRISBANE)

Queensland Premier ANNA BLIGH's clawing back the Liberal National Party's winning position
heading into next year's election.

A Newspoll for The Australian newspaper shows Labor's vote has lifted to 44 per cent
to the LNP's 56 per cent on a two-party preferred basis, up from a near rock bottom 27
per cent to the LNP's 61 per cent in a July-September survey.

But the Newspoll shows Labor would still lose at least half of its 51 seats if the
election was held now.



Com18 (BRISBANE)

The Queensland opposition wants the government to explain a reported seven million
dollar hole in its Commonwealth Games budget.

A briefing note leaked to The Courier Mail newspaper shows the government only set
aside 10 million dollars for the 2018 Commonwealth Games, but the cost is 17 million dollars.

Opposition treasury spokesman TIM NICHOLLS says it raises doubts about the estimated
one billion dollar cost of the Games.

He says the LNP supports the games on the Gold Coast but believes Queenslanders need
to know how much the event is going to cost taxpayers and where the money is coming from.



Iraq US (IRAQ-KUWAIT BORDER)

The last US forces have left Iraq and entered Kuwait, nearly nine years after launching
a divisive war to oust SADDAM HUSSEIN.

The last of roughly 110 vehicles carrying 500-odd troops crossed the border yesterday,
leaving just 157 military trainers at the US embassy, in a country where there were once
nearly 170-thousand troops on 505 bases.



Czech Havel (PRAGUE)

Tributes have begun pouring in following the death of former Czech president VACLAV HAVEL.

The 75-year-old hero of the Velvet Revolution and one-time dissident, who steered his
country peacefully to independence from Soviet rule in 1989, died in his sleep at dawn
on Sunday in his weekend house northeast of Prague after a lengthy illness.

Current President VACLAV KLAUS says HAVEL had become a symbol of the modern Czech state
and US President BARACK OBAMA says HAVEL'S peaceful resistance shook the foundations of
an empire and proved that moral leadership is more powerful than any weapon.

British Prime Minister DAVID CAMERON says HAVEL devoted his life to the cause of human
freedom and led the Czech people out of tyranny.



Briefly in other news ..



Ponies (SYDNEY)

The bodies of 25 ponies have been dumped near a cliff in northern New South Wales,
but police say there are no obvious wounds and no obvious reason for the cause of death.



Driver (CANBERRA)

ACT Police have charged a Canberra man who was caught driving with more than four times
the legal alcohol limit while his five-year-old son was a passenger in the car.



US Jackson (BEVERLY HILLS)

The contents MICHAEL JACKSON'S home have sold for around one million dollars at auction.



US Beach Boys (LOS ANGELES)

Iconic 1960s Californian band the Beach Boys is reuniting to celebrate its 50th anniversary
with a new album and a 50-date world tour next year.



in Finance ..



Woolworths (SYDNEY)

Woolworths' hotel group has purchased another 31 hotels in New South Wales.

The ALH Group says it's signed long term leases for and acquired the businesses and
associated assets of 31 hotels and one detached bottle shop to add to the 27 hotels it
already operates in the state.




At 1127 AEDT, the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was DOWN 87 points, or two per cent at
4,072.4, while the broader All Ordinaries Index was DOWN 91 points, OR two per cent at
4,128.

The Australian dollar was at 99.38 US cents, level DOWN from Friday's local close of 99.70 cents.

The price of spot gold in Sydney is $US1,598.45 per fine ounce, UP from yesterday's
local close of $US1,586.16 per ounce.



in Sport ..



Soc EPL (LONDON)

Manchester United have defeated Queens Park Rangers 2-0 with goals from WAYNE ROONEY
and MICHAEL CARRICK in a busy morning of English Premier League action.

Tottenham had a 1-0 win over Sunderland thanks to a ROMAN PAVLYUCHENKO goal while Liverpool
scored a 2-0 win away to Aston Villa with CRAIG BELLAMY and MARTIN SKRTEL scoring for
the Reds.



ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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