AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, April 13

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2005
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, April 13

Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130

Budget Costello (CANBERRA)

The Federal Treasurer PETER COSTELLO has admitted there's pressure to ensure that Medicare
funding in the May Budget is sustainable as the population ages.

But he's declined to comment on whether he'll announce cuts.

Mr COSTELLO has dismissed as speculation media reports of planned cuts to the Medicare
safety net.

He's told Melbourne radio 3AW the government introduced the safety net and will be
keeping it, though on a sustainable basis.

Mr COSTELLO says the Budget will also answer defence commitment pressures and begin
addressing the challenge of the ageing population.



Tax Costello (CANBERRA)

Federal Treasurer PETER COSTELLO says there are positive signs the brawl between the
states and the federal government over the GST is over.

Mr COSTELLO and the states have been arguing over a 1999 agreement over GST revenue.

Under the agreement the states agreed to cut state-based taxes in return for guaranteed
GST revenue.

The states say they have already cut the taxes, while Mr COSTELLO says not enough has been done.

Mr COSTELLO has told Melbourne radio 3AW the states are beginning to come around to
view, but the NSW government has denied it's caved into the federal government demands.



Chopper Medals (CANBERRA)

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says the Queen has given approval for a medal to be awarded
to defence personnel serving in tsunami-hit areas.

They include nine Australians killed in the Sea King helicopter crash in Indonesia
on April the 2nd who will receive the honour posthumously.

Mr HOWARD says the Queen has approved changes to allow Australian troops to receive
the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal even though it is usually given only to civilians.

He says defence personnel deployed as part Australia's contribution to tsunami affected
regions and the earthquake on the Indonesian island of Nias will now qualify for the award.



Resorts Sheraton (CORRECTION)

The company operating a Bali hotel at the centre of a child sex abuse claim says its
utmost concern is to protect the safety of its guests.

A spokesman for Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which runs what was formerly known as
the Sheraton Nusa Indah resort in Bali, refused to answer details about allegations a
three-year-old girl was sexually abused in 2001 and contracted gonorrhoea while at a creche
at the resort.

It's believed the girl's family sued the Sheraton resort chain for negligence in the
Victorian Supreme Court and won a $60,000 out-of-court settlement last year.

However, Justice Minister CHRIS ELLISON says there's no evidence of a systemic failure
of childcare services in Bali.



Doctor (BRISBANE)

An overseas-trained doctor who fled Australia after being dubbed Dr Death by Australian
colleages had been found guilty of gross negligence in the United States.

The doctor, who worked at Bundaberg Base Hospital, has been accused of gross incompetence
linked to the deaths or serious injury of at least 14 Australians.

He quit his job and fled Australia at Easter after an investigation into his work at
the public hospital.

The Brisbane Courier-Mail says an internet search has revealed that the doctor had
been cited over serious problems with his surgery in New York State and Oregon.

Queensland Medical Board executive officer JIM O'DEMPSEY says he's shocked at the failure
of the regulatory body to detect the doctor's background.



Pope Pell (SYDNEY)

An Italian newspaper has picked Archbishop of Sydney GEORGE PELL as one of 18 frontrunners
to replace Pope JOHN PAUL the SECOND.

The Australian newspaper says Italy's Il Giornale has praised Dr PELL'S communications
skills and wide travel.

115 of the church's cardinals -- including Dr PELL -- will meet on Monday to begin
picking a new pope to replace JOHN PAUL, who died 11 days ago after a 26-year papacy.



NZ CLARK (AUCKLAND)

A small plane carrying New Zealand Prime Minister HELEN CLARK has made a dramatic emergency
landing after a fuselage door burst open in midair turbulence.

Two police officers travelling with CLARK had to hold the door closed while the plane
made the emergency landing in the North Island town of Parapaumu, 50km north-east of the
capital Wellington shortly after 9am local time.



Scabies (MELBOURNE)

A scabies outbreak in a Melbourne aged care home has forced the hostel's management
to shut down the facility and quarantine residents.

Up to 40 people have been infected by the disease, in which tiny mites burrow into
the skin and cause severe itching.



Med Hair (TOKYO)

Japanese researchers say they've developed a soybean containing a substance that promotes
hair growth and helps prevent hair loss caused by chemotherapy.

The Kyoto University researchers say that if the safety of the genetically-modified

soybean still needs to be confirmed.



Canada Gays (OTTAWA)

Members of the Canadian Parliament have voted down a Conservative motion that would
have derailed the minority Liberal government's bill to legalise gay marriage.

Prime Minister PAUL MARTIN's Liberal Party introduced the legislation, which would

make Canada one of only three countries in the world to recognise gay marriage.

To date only Belgium and the Netherlands allow gays to legally marry.



US Bolton (WASHINGTON)

US President GEORGE W BUSH'S nominee as ambassador to the United Nations, JOHN BOLTON,
has been depicted at a Senate hearing as a bully who tried to force an analyst to bend
intelligence on Cuba's weapons to fit a speech he was giving.

State Department official CARL FORD says BOLTON abused an analyst who delayed BOLTON'S
speech because it overstated information on Cuba's weapons.

BOLTON has long been an outspoken critic of the UN.



US Microsoft (REDMOND)

Microsoft Corp has released five security bulletins to fix flaws that could allow an
attacker to take complete control of someone else's computer system.

The security flaws were rated as critical -- Microsoft's highest threat level.

The bulletins affect the company's Windows computer operating system, Internet Explorer
browser, MSN Messenger, Microsoft Word software and Exchange server system.




More than 17,000 Australian and United States troops will take part in a major military
exercise in central coastal Queensland in June.




A new study says a combination vaccine developed to reduce the number of shots given
to infants provides less immunity to some diseases than vaccines given separately.



in entertainment news.......



US Britney (LOS ANGELES)

US pop princess BRITNEY SPEARS has announced she's pregnant with her first child.

It ends months of speculation over whether the 23-year-old is launching a new career as a mother.

SPEARS, who married dancer KEVIN FEDERLINE in September, has broken the news to fans
on her official website.

The former Mousketeer has sold 60 million albums after shooting to fame in the late
1990s with her 1999 debut, Baby One More Time.



US Phoenix (LOS ANGELES)

A publicist of actor JOAQUIN PHOENIX says the star has checked into a rehabilitation
facility for treatment of alcoholism.

His publicist says PHOENIX checked himself into rehab a fortnight ago because he was
uncomfortable with his lifestyle.

The actor's brother, former movie star RIVER PHOENIX, died of a drug overdose in 1993.



in finance



At 11.20 am (AEDT), the benchmark Standard and Poor's ASX 200 index was 11.8 points
HIGHER at 4153.8, while the all ordinaries index was 9.3 points HIGHER at 4132.7.

The Australian dollar was trading at 77.47 US cents DOWN from 77.61 US cents yesterday.

It was at 60.05 euro cents UP from 59.74 euro cents yesterday.

In Sydney, gold bullion was trading at $US427.10 an ounce, DOWN $US2.50 from yesterday's close.



and in sport..............


Cricket Lanka (WELLINGTON)

Sri Lankan fast bowler CHAMINDA VAAS has taken two successive wickets to restrict New
Zealand's lead on the third morning of the Second cricket Test in Wellington.

New Zealand captain STEPHEN FLEMING and BRENDAN McCULLUM both fell to VAAS, leaving
the Kiwis on six for 297 before rain forced an early lunch.



AFL Tribunal (MELBOURNE)

Melbourne is expected to announce shortly whether it will appeal against the two-week
suspension given to midfielder BRENT MOLONEY at the AFL Tribunal last night.

MOLONEY was banned for engaging in rough play over an incident which left Geelong player
JAMES BARTEL heavily concussed last weekend.

Demons coach NEALE DANIHER says the club will consider appealing the verdict.

It has until midday to decide whether to push ahead with an appeal.



Tennis Women (CHARLESTON)

Australian number one ALICIA MOLIK has been forced to withdrew from the Family Circle
Cup claycourt tournament in South Carolina with an inner ear infection.

But countrywoman SAMANTHA STOSUR has advanced to the second round with a 6-2 6-3 win
over Spain's VIRGINIA RUANO PASCUAL.

NICOLE PRATT lost 7-5 6-1 to KATARINA SREBOTNIK of Slovenia.




ENDS BULLETIN

AAP RTV rt

KEYWORD: MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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