AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Dec 29

AAP General News (Australia)
12-29-2008
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Dec 29
EVENING ROUND-UP: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1630


MIDEAST GAZA (GAZA CITY)

Israel's widened its massive air offensive against Gaza's Hamas rulers .. pounding
smuggling tunnels and a central prison .. and sending more tanks and artillery toward
the Gaza border.

Israeli leaders say they'll push ahead with the Gaza campaign .. despite protests across
the Arab world and Syria's decision to break off indirect peace talks with the Jewish
state.

Israel's foreign minister says the goal is to halt Gaza rocket fire on Israel for good
.. but not to reoccupy the territory.

Almost 300 people have died in Israel's latest attacks on Gaza.

Here in Australia .. Australian Democrat MP SANDRA KANCK has called on the federal
government to strongly condemn Israel's attack on Gaza.



ECONOMY QLD (BRISBANE)

The Queensland Government's planning to form rapid response teams to fight escalating
unemployment.

Premier ANNA BLIGH says the teams .. made up of employers .. unions and government
agencies .. will work together to combat problems expected during 2009 as a result of
the slowing economy.

The state government formed similar teams to try to find alternative work for 540 workers
laid off from central Queensland coal mines in recent weeks.

It also brought forward 25 million dollars in funds to boost employment in areas affected
by the mining downturn caused by the global economic crisis.



TITO (MELBOURNE)

A man arrested over a fatal screwdriver stabbing at a Melbourne party has had his charge
upgraded to murder.

STEPHEN TITO is alleged to have stabbed 19-year-old AFRAM KODI to death on Friday night.

Mr KODI suffered critical injuries .. described by ambulance as horrendous .. and died
in hospital on Saturday afternoon.

TITO was charged with attempted murder over the attack .. a charge which remains in
place .. but he also now has been charged with murder .. and was remanded in custody till
his next court appearance in May.



HANEEF (BRISBANE)

Queensland Premier ANNA BLIGH has called on the federal government to formally apologise
to Dr MOHAMED HANEEF.

The Indian-born doctor was wrongfully charged and detained in relation to failed terrorist
attacks in Glasgow and London last year.

Ms BLIGH has told reporters it is the federal government's duty to say sorry to an
innocent man .. who has been through a traumatic experience.

A spokeswoman for Federal Attorney-General ROBERT MCCLELLAND says the relevant agencies
have to shoulder the blame for mistakes identified in the HANEEF inquiry .. and the government
will implement the changes recommended by the inquiry.



SPEEDBOAT (MELBOURNE)

A 16 year old Melbourne boy has been charged with manslaughter following the death
of an 18 year old woman on Lake Eildon.

The boy was allegedly driving a speedboat which ran into a tree sticking out of the
lake .. north-east of Melbourne .. about 1.30 on Sunday morning (AEDT).

The impact threw the young woman out of the boat .. and her body was recovered a short
time later.

The teenager's been bailed to appear at a children's court in the near future.



TEXTING (SYDNEY)

Telstra users are expected to welcome the new year by sending up to one thousand text
messages a second .. with more than 76 million predicted to be sent as part of New Year
celebrations.

The number would be a record for Australia's largest telco.

Telstra's also expecting more than 16 million phone calls over New Year .. up from
last year's 14.8 million record .. more than 600 thousand picture messages and tens of
thousands of video calls.



ATOMIC (SYDNEY)

A group of Japanese atomic bomb survivors is in Australia as part of a three-month
global sea voyage to oppose nuclear weapons.

They've presented a letter to the federal government .. praising Australia for its
decision to establish the International Commission on Nuclear Non-Proliferation and Disarmament.

The letter urges Canberra to lead other countries in the abolition of nuclear weapons.



TAXES CAMPBELL (SYDNEY)

The New South Wales government's challenged a report which has found companies operating
in the state suffer the highest taxes in Australia.

Business Bearing The Burden .. released today by the Institute of Public Affairs ..

shows New South Wales is competitive on property taxes and other duties .. but has crippling
payroll taxes .. land taxes and stamp duties.

Acting NSW Treasurer DAVID CAMPBELL hasn't addressed the findings directly .. but has
offered more promising state taxation statistics.

Meanwhile .. the South Australian opposition has claimed high taxes are costing jobs
in that state.



CABINET VIC (MELBOURNE)

Former union boss MARTIN PAKULA has been elevated to the ministry in Victoria.

39 year old Mr PAKULA replaces embattled MP THEO THEOPHANOUS .. who quit the ministry
on Christmas Eve after he was charged with rape.

The former state secretary of the National Union of Workers won the cabinet vacancy
after favourite EVAN THORNLEY pulled out of the race yesterday.



HK SMOKER (HONG KONG)

A chronic smoker who has to use a ventilator to breathe is seriously ill in hospital
after blowing himself up by having a cigarette while using his oxygen tank.

The explosion happened as the 75-year-old man lit up in his home while attached to
an oxygen tank that had plastic tubes running to his nose because of lung disease caused
by his smoking habit.



EVE PETS (SYDNEY)

Pet owners are being urged not to forget their animals this New Year's Eve and ensure
they are protected from the noise of fireworks.

Animals are often frightened by fireworks .. and flee from their home in fear.

The New South Wales RSPCA says many pets end up lost and injured .. adding extra pressure
to shelters across the state.



BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS ..




The New South Wales government's denied claims students at elite private schools have
potentially obtained an unfair advantage in Higher School Certificate results by using
special consideration during exams.




Another suicide attack in Afghanistan has killed 14 school children as they were preparing
for their final day of school for the year.




The national holiday road remains at 40 this afternoon.



IN SPORT ..



SAIL SYDHOB HANDICAP (HOBART)

Sydney skipper BOB STEEL's 52-foot yacht Quest has taken handicap honours in the Sydney
to Hobart.

Quest crossed the finish line at 2pm (AEDT) on Sunday .. four-and-a-half hours behind
the line honours winner Wild Oats XI.



SAIL MELHOB (SYDNEY)

Shortwave has smashed the Melbourne to Hobart yacht race record, crossing the line
over five hours under the mark on Monday.

The 15.85m vessel .. skippered by Sydney's Matt Short and with a crew including his
wife and four daughters .. arrived in the Tasmanian capital at 5.29am (AEDT).



SOCCER ENGLISH (LONDON)

A double strike by STEVEN GERRARD means Liverpool end 2008 on top of the English Premier
League after a 5-1 away win over Newcastle.

The Reds' day got even better when CLINT DEMPSEY scored a late equaliser for Fulham
against Chelsea in a 2-2 draw which puts Liverpool three points clear at the top.



TWENTY NSW (SYDNEY)

Exciting young NSW batsman DAVID WARNER is set to face his first overseas Test bowler
in tomorrow's Twenty20 cricket match against Western Australia at ANZ Stadium.

WARNER .. who has earned a contract with Indian Premier League side Delhi .. says Pakistani
paceman UMAR GUL looks a handy pick up for WA after taking 4-15 against South Australia
last night.



ENDS EVENING ROUND-UP


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