AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-2011
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 4
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430
Bomb (SYDNEY)
The wealthy family of an 18-year-old Sydney schoolgirl is perplexed as to why their
daughter was targeted, after she was strapped to a suspected bomb for 10 hours overnight.
A manhunt is underway for the attacker, who was wearing a balaclava when the sophisticated
and complex device was attached to MADELEINE PULVER.
MADELEINE'S father WILLIAM PULVER is reportedly chief executive of Appen Butler Hill,
a linguistic solutions company.
Police have refused to confirm whether a ransom note was left at the scene, saying
only that they've had no contact with who ever carried out the attack.
The Daily Telegraph says MADELEINE was at home yesterday when a man wearing a balaclava
entered the house and ordered her to a front room, where he rigged up the explosive.
It says he told her that she could ring the police to alert them to to her situation,
but warned her to be guarded in what she said to them, or else he would remotely detonate
the bomb.
He said he'd be able to hear her and indicated that he'd placed listening devices around
the house.
Police says MADELEINE did a good job of keeping her emotions in check, and gave police
lots of information about the attacker.
Indon Helicopter (JAKARTA)
A search-and-rescue team will resume the search this morning for four Australians and
six Indonesians, who are missing after a helicopter lost contact with authorities minutes
after takeoff in the country's east.
There are reports the Bell 412 chopper crashed into a mountain in North Sulawesi province
yesterday afternoon.
The rescuers began to look for the helicopter soon after it went missing, but eventually
it became too dark to work and the team will return this morning.
Those on board apparently worked for a local mining company in Indonesia.
NBN Vic (MELBOURNE)
The Melbourne suburb of Brunswick will today become the first metropolitan area to
connect to the national broadband network.
Communications Minister STEPHEN CONROY will switch on the high-speed broadband network
at Brunswick Town Hall.
The NBN has so far been connected in the New South Wales south coast communities of
Kiama Downs and Minnamurra, Armidale in northern NSW, and three Tasmanian towns.
Next to be connected will be suburbs of Townsville in Queensland, and Willunga in South
Australia.
Tobacco (MELBOURNE)
A Senate committee will today begin examining the federal government's planned laws
to have cigarettes sold in plain packaging.
The committee will hear from the health department, various health groups and big tobacco
companies.
British American Tobacco Australia will be first to go before the hearing at Canberra's
Parliament House.
The company has argued plain packaging could increase smoking rates, the illegal tobacco
black market and put billions of taxpayer dollars in jeopardy.
Cattle (DARWIN)
A Senate inquiry into animal welfare standards in the live cattle trade is holding
a public hearing in Darwin today.
Northern Territory cattle producers were devastated by a month-long ban on live exports
to Indonesia, which followed public outrage over the treatment of cattle during slaughter
in Indonesian abattoirs.
Ahead of today's hearing, independent senator NICK XENOPHON met Top End cattle producers
upset at the parliamentary bill he's introduced that seeks to phase out live exports over
the next three years.
Boat Malaysia (JAKARTA)
Another boat with asylum seekers is due at Christmas Island today, as the Malaysian
government prepares to receive the first asylum seekers covered under its swap arrangement
with Australia.
The 54 mainly Afghan people will be the first group to be subject to the deal.
While Immigration Minister CHRIS BOWEN says it would take weeks before the government's
target of a 72-hour turnaround is achieved for every single person, it's now understood
that at least some of the group could be in Kuala Lumpur as early as Sunday.
Mr BOWEN's office has refused to confirm a date for the first transfers.
Under the deal signed in Kuala Lumpur last Monday, up to 800 asylum seekers who arrive
in Australia by boat, will be taken to Malaysia in exchange for four-thousand people who
have already been given refugee status.
Climate (CANBERRA)
Opposition treasury spokesman JOE HOCKEY says the coalition will consider axing the
department of climate change if it gets into government.
The coalition went to the last election promising to slash expenditure by getting rid
of 12-thousand public servants, and it seems workers at the climate change department
are top of the hit list.
Mr HOCKEY has accused the department of absolutely spreading false figures, and suggests
the public servants there could be some of the first to go under the plan to downsize
the public service.
He says the coalition's direct action policy will costing 3.2 billion dollars over
the first four years.
Betting (MELBOURNE)
A Victorian government review has found exotic bets pose a massive risk to the integrity
of sport.
Former Racing Victoria chairman of stewards DES GLEESON says sports controlling bodies
should be encouraged to negotiate deals with betting companies that include the power
to ban exotic bets, such as who kicks the first goal in an AFL game.
Victorian Gaming Minister MICHAEL O'BRIEN says his state is prepared to act alone if
a proposal for nationally consistent match fixing laws can't be agreed.
Egypt Mubarak Adjourn (CAIRO)
The trial of ousted Egyptian president HOSNI MUBARAK, and his two sons, has been adjourned
until August 15.
The judge says the former strongman will stay in a Cairo hospital until then.
Meanwhile, the judge says the trial of ex-interior minister HABIB AL-ADLY and his six
deputies will resume tomorrow.
Briefly in other news ..
Med Pets (WASHINGTON)
Pet owners have long believed that they're happier, healthier and live longer than
people without pets, but a new US study claims they might be barking up the wrong tree.
Public (CANBERRA)
Public servants with the agriculture department will walk off the job for an hour today,
campaigning for better pay.
Russia Chain (MOSCOW)
A woman and her husband have been detained in southern Russia, after they kept the
woman's 70-year-old father on a chain in their yard for four days.
in Sport ..
Tri Aust (AUCKLAND)
Australia and New Zealand will both announce their teams today for Saturday night's
Bledisloe Cup Test at Eden Park in Auckland.
The Wallabies are set to stick to their tried and true players while New Zealand are
poised to make half a dozen changes.
The only changes for Australia are expected on the bench, where lock DAN VICKERMAN,
halfback LUKE BURGESS and winger LACHIE TURNER are in line for promotions.
The All Blacks have key forward quartet KEVEN MEALAMU, OWEN FRANKS, BRAD THORN and
KIERAN READ all ready to return after being rested last week against South Africa.
AFL Teams (MELBOURNE)
Collingwood star DALE THOMAS is likely to be named tonight to make his return from
injury in Saturday night's AFL clash with Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.
ALAN DIDAK is also in contention, with SHARROD WELLINGHAM another Magpie hoping to
prove his fitness.
Carlton could regain ANDREW CARRAZZO for Saturday's meeting with Melbourne, with Demons
midfielder TOM SCULLY also pressing to return from injury.
ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP
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