AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Feb 16

AAP General News (Australia)
02-16-2004
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Feb 16
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430

Impaled Riot (SYDNEY)

Police have reportedly used high-pressure hoses this morning in an effort to disperse
youths rioting over the death of a teenager in the inner-Sydney suburb of Redfern.

Police were called to Redfern at about 6pm (AEDT) last night after reports that a group
of youths were throwing rocks and bottles at passing vehicles.

Radio reports early today said Molotov Cocktails and fireworks had also been thrown,
and four policemen and a police dog had been injured.

Police say reinforcements were called in from as far as Campbelltown and the Hawkesbury.

A police spokesman says Redfern railway station remains closed after it was set alight,
but the damage did not seem to be major.

The trouble appears to have been sparked by the death of a 17-year-old boy who was
impaled on a metal fence after falling from his bicycle on Saturday.

He died in hospital yesterday morning from his injuries.

THOMAS HICKEY'S mother says her son was pursued by police, but they deny the allegation.



China fire (BEIJING)

Two separate fires in China have killed at least 90 people and injured dozens more today.

State media and officials say a fire swept through a department store in north-east
China's Jilin province this morning, killing at least 51 people and injuring more than
70.

Hours later at least 39 pilgrims died and four were injured when a temple in eastern
Zhejiang province's Haining city caught fire.

The causes of the fires are still unknown.

Officials say the earlier fire occurred at a five-storey Zhongbai department store
in the city of Jilin.



Russia roof (MOSCOW)

The death toll in the Moscow pool roof collapse has risen to 28 and 110 others are injured.

The disaster has sparked controversy over a building boom that has seen towering structures
soar in the Russian capital on the cheap.

Rescuers are using cranes and other heavy machinery lift twisted metal and concrete
slabs that fell on an indoor swimming pool after the structure's dome caved in yesterday
evening.

Semi-naked survivors fled for their lives into the freezing cold.

A Moscow police spokesman has told the ITAR-TASS news agency that 28 people died in
the tragedy and health officials say 78 people remain hospitalised, with five in a serious
condition.

Moscow prosecutors have opened a criminal inquiry into the accident.



Super (CANBERRA)

New federal MPs could receive better pay to make up for having their superannuation
slashed after senior ministers today supported a review of parliamentarians' salary packages.

Last week Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD agreed to cut superannuation contributions for
new MPs and senators to the community standard of nine per cent, from 69 per cent.

Mr HOWARD has said high super helps make up for relatively low salaries, but he's refused
to ask the independent Remuneration Tribunal to look at parliamentarians' overall remuneration.

Parliamentarians' salaries are linked to those of senior bureaucrats, which are automatically
reviewed every year by the Remuneration Tribunal.

His Superannuation plan could face a tough path after demands from the Australian Democrats.

Leader ANDREW BARTLETT says the plan should be expanded to include those already in
the parliament - including Mr HOWARD.

Senator BARTLETT says by only hitting future MPs, the scheme would create two classes
of politicians.



Trains Graham

Twenty peak train services a day will be cancelled this week in what RailCorp CEO VINCE
GRAHAM has called a marginal improvement in the rail crisis.

Sixty to 70 rail services each day in all will be cancelled this week, including 10
each for AM and PM peak times.

This is despite the New South Wales government agreeing last week to pay drivers a
$400 bonus in a deal aimed at smoothing out cancellations caused by driver shortages.



Trains AMWU (SYDNEY)

More than 300 train maintenance workers in New South Wales are expected to stage a
24-hour strike later this week over what they say are faulty new drug and alcohol tests.

Members of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union have still to vote on the strike
proposal, but they're expected to approve it.

The workers are angry that state Transport Minister MICHAEL COSTA has refused to meet
them to discuss their concerns.



Sugar Beattie (BRISBANE)

Queensland Premier PETER BEATTIE says sugar will be high on the agenda at the first
meeting of the new Queensland cabinet in Brisbane today.

Mr Beattie says he also wants to meet Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD and cane grower representatives
to discuss the future of the sugar industry.

He says he wants to sit down with industry leaders and key government ministers this
week in the wake of sugar's exclusion from the Free Trade Agreement with the United States.



Bushfires NSW Ban (SYDNEY)

A total fire ban has been declared across western New South Wales for today.

Rural Fire Service Commissioner PHIL KOPERBERG has imposed a ban on lighting fires
in the open after an assessment of current fire conditions and forecasts by the Bureau
of Meteorology.

The fire ban covers the state's central west slopes, south west slopes, Riverina, central
west plains and lower western region and will be in place until midnight tonight.



Intensive (MELBOURNE)

A Melbourne woman has reportedly been forced to take an emergency flight to Adelaide
to give birth to premature twins because of a critical shortage in Victoria's intensive
care facilities for babies.

Today's Age newspaper says MEREDITH CAPP was flown from Essendon Airport last Monday
night after not being able to find a neonatal intensive care place in any of Melbourne's
major public hospitals.



Ultralight (SYDNEY)

A woman and man died after their ultralight aircraft crashed on the NSW north coast
yesterday afternoon.

Police say they received reports that the ultralight was overdue shortly before the
wreckage was discovered in a paddock south-west of Ballina.

It is believed the aircraft crashed about 3.30pm (AEDT), starting a small fire where it landed.



Iraq Sadun (DUBAI)

Arabic television station Al Jazeera says a senior Baath Party member on the US list
of most-wanted Iraqis has been captured.

The report from Iraq identified him as MUHAMMAD ZIMAM ABD AL-RAZZAQ AL-SADUN.

The station says he was Baath Party chairman and commander of the Baath Party militia
in Baghdad and number 41 on a list of 52 most wanted Iraqis.



BRIEFLY:



Less than half the scientists working for CSIRO are happy with the leadership and direction
of the nation's scientific agency.




More than a thousand people attended an anti-war meeting in Sydney yesterday on the
anniversary of mass global protests against the war in Iraq.



Victims of violent crime will reportedly be given the right to have a say in the early
release of their tormenters under new laws to go before Victoria's Government next month.



AND IN SPORT:


GOLF AUST (SALAMANDER BAY, NSW)

England's BRIAN DAVIS has won the ANZ Championship modified stableford event by one
point at Horizons Golf Resort.

The 29-year-old has carded a final 65 to finish on 44 points, one ahead of defending
champion and fellow English golfer PAUL CASEY.

Australian amateur NICK FLANAGAN has capped a wonderful week, sharing third place with
Frenchman THOMAS LEVET on 39 points.



SHOOTING AUST (BRISBANE)

Former junior world shooting champion NATHAN CASSELLS has won the right to shoot off
against dual gold medallist MICHAEL DIAMOND for a spot on the Olympic team.

But CASSELLS has not indicated whether he will appeal the Australian Shooting Association's
decision to allow the unprecedented contest.



ENDS BULLETIN

AAP RTV psm/

KEYWORD: BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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