AAP General News (Australia)
08-01-2009
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 1
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430
Flu Wrap (SYDNEY/GENEVA/BRISBANE)
A piggery in central western
New South Wales has been placed under quarantine .. after
testing found it's been infected with swine flu .. most likely introduced by its own staff.
Samples were taken from some pigs on Thursday .. and two tests returned positive for the virus.
The owner and staff at the piggery previously suffered flu-like symptoms .. and are
now themselves being tested for swine flu.
It's the first time pigs have been infected with the virus in Australia .. and follows
a similar outbreak at a Canadian piggery in May.
Authorities have stepped in to reassure consumers that pork products are still safe to eat.
Meanwhile .. there were two more reported deaths from people infected with swine flu
yesterday .. a Queensland woman in her 30s and a
New South Wales woman aged in her 70s.
Both had underlying medical conditions.
The World Health Organisation is recommending pregnant women have immediate access
to antiviral drugs to treat swine flu .. because they appear to be more vulnerable.
The advice is based on studies among pregnant women in the United States and reports
from several countries indicating that pregnant women are more at risk of infection.
ALP Wrap (SYDNEY)
The final day of the ALP National Conference in Sydney looks set to attract plenty
of attention .. at least in the form of protests.
The start of the conference will see a demonstration against the federal government's
takeover of Alice Springs town camps.
Then at lunchtime .. thousands are expected to turn up at Sydney's Town Hall for a
march to the conference at Darling Harbour .. where dozens of gay and lesbian couples
are planning to get illegally married.
Same sex marriage is up for debate today .. but the federal government's already said
it opposes the concept.
Meanwhile .. former prime minister BOB HAWKE will today become only the third person
to receive ALP life membership.
GOUGH and MARGARET WHITLAM were similarly honoured at the 2007 ALP conference.
House (SYDNEY)
The man who'll deliver the ashes of murdered student IRENE YIN to her frail elderly
parents in China says she and the slain LIN family may have been victims of a revenge
act.
The 39-year-old was beaten to death alongside four members of her sister's family at
Epping in Sydney.
MIN LIN .. his wife and their two sons were also found dead on July 18 .. while their
15-year-old daughter BRENDA survives .. having been overseas on a school trip at the time.
Ms YIN's uncle BO XI LU has travelled to Sydney from south-west China .. to represent
her parents at the LIN family's funeral.
Speaking through a translator .. he's indicated he's happy with the police investigation
.. but wants to see more evidence the murders weren't a revenge attack.
Submarine (SYDNEY)
One of Australia's two active submarines has broken down.
Defence won't reveal why HMAS Collins is in for repairs .. but NEIL JAMES from the
Australia Defence Association says the submarine had engine trouble during training south
of the Great Australian Bight.
Mr JAMES has told ABC Radio he believes it has something to do with propulsion .. but
he doesn't know how serious it is.
Defence says the sub should be back at sea later this year.
Westpac (SYDNEY)
Westpac Bank has announced it's increasing its fixed mortgage rates.
Spokesman DAVID LORDING says one-year fixed home loan rates will rise by 10 basis points
to 5.59 per cent next Tuesday.
He says the bank will also raise its three-year fixed rate by 40 basis points to 6.99
per cent and its five-year rate by 45 basis points to 7.64 per cent.
He says rates are being lifted because funding costs have risen.
US Shuttle (HOUSTON)
A successful 16 day mission to the International Space Station has ended safely with
the return of the shuttle Endeavour to Earth.
The shuttle astronauts delivered and installed the last major piece of the one billion
dollar Japanese research complex .. the largest and most capable of the station's three
primary science modules.
They also furnished the
new platform with an X-ray telescope .. an environmental monitor
and a communications device to link the space station lab with Japan's mission control
in Tsukuba.
Fiji (LONDON)
Fiji's been ordered to commit to holding democratic elections next year or risk being
suspended from the Commonwealth within weeks.
Commonwealth ministers meeting in London have told Fiji to kickstart the President's
Political Dialogue Forum so democratic elections can be held in 12 months time.
Iraq (BAGHDAD)
A wave of bombs targeting Shi'ite Muslim worshippers at mosques across Baghdad has
killed 29 people and wounded more than 136 .. a month after US troops withdrew from Iraq's
main urban centres.
Security officials say the six apparently coordinated blasts occurred outside mosques
and prayer centres in and around the capital .. including one frequented by followers
of radical Shi'ite cleric MOQTADA AL-SADR.
US Economy (WASHINGTON)
The US economy has shown signs of emerging from a long and brutal recession .. with
the latest data revealing a narrower-than-expected one per cent decline in output in the
second quarter.
The Commerce Department estimate on gross domestic product was stronger than expected
by private forecasters .. who predicted an average 1.5 per cent contraction in the April-June
quarter.
Briefly in other news ..
Shots (MELBOURNE)
A McDonald's restaurant at Altona North in Melbourne has been locked down after a car
was hit by shots in a drive-by shooting.
Fall (SYDNEY)
A man's died from a fall while trying to escape from police during a chase in Katoomba
in the Blue Mountains .. west of Sydney.
Italy Abortion (ROME)
Italy has approved the use of the abortion drug RU-486 .. drawing fierce protests by the Vatican.
UK Andre (LONDON)
Australian pop star PETER ANDRE has won substantial damages from a British tabloid
newspaper which claimed he cheated on estranged wife .. former glamour model JORDAN.
in Sport ..
Cricket Aust (BIRMINGHAM, England)
England is on top after two days of the third cricket Test at Edgbaston.
When bad light stopped play the home side was
2-116 in reply to Australia's first innings of 263.
ANDREW STRAUSS was unbeaten on 64.
Australia collapsed on the second morning .. with the last nine wickets falling for 137 runs.
AFL Wrap (Melbourne)
Carlton retained seventh spot on the AFL ladder with a scrappy 10-point win over North
Melbourne last night.
The Bulldogs play Fremantle at Etihad Stadium this afternoon .. while Geelong hosts
fifth-placed Adelaide.
In tonight's games .. Sydney plays unbeaten St Kilda at the SCG .. while Collingwood
takes on Brisbane at the MCG.
League Wrap (SYDNEY)
St George-Illawarra showed their NRL premiership credentials with a 26-12 victory over
the Melbourne Storm at Kogarah last night .. and North Queensland beat Gold Coast 34-18
to end the Titans' nine-game winning streak at home.
Tonight .. the Raiders host Brisbane .. Newcastle takes on the Roosters and the Panthers
play the Warriors.
Swim (ROME)
There've been three bronze medals for Australia at the swimming world championships in Rome.
LIBBY TRICKETT was third in the 100m freestyle .. matched by CHRISTIAN SPRENGER in
the 200m breaststroke and the men's 4x200m freestyle relay team.
ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP
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