AAP National News Wire Round Up for Midday, April 9

AAP General News (Australia)
04-09-2001
AAP National News Wire Round Up for Midday, April 9
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1145

NRMA (SYDNEY)

Former chairman of NRMA Insurance Group Ltd (NIGL) NICK WHITLAM has stepped down as
a director of the insurance giant.

NIGL's acting chairman ROWAN ROSS says Mr WHITLAM's resignation from the NIGL board is
effective immediately.

He has also resigned as a director of all NIGL subsidiary boards - SGIO, Insurance
Manufacturers' of Australia, NRMA Building Society and New Zealand's State Insurance group,
which NIGL bought earlier this year.

Mr ROSS says the NIGL board will consider replacements for these subsidiary boards
and make the appointments as soon as possible.



China Plane Shoot (HONG KONG)

A Chinese fighter pilot requested permission to shoot down a US spy plane after seeing
it collide with his comrade's jet.

The South China Morning Post says pilot ZHAO YU was refused permission and instead
manoeuvred to force the American plane to land at an airbase.

The sources told the Post newspaper when the American plane landed at the Lingshui
airbase, a Chinese officer wrestled a US airman to the ground to gain access to the craft.



Royals Sophie Media (LONDON)

The British media is questioning the role and future of the monarchy, amid a royal
scandal over comments made by the Queen's daughter-in-law to an undercover tabloid reporter.

SOPHIE, the Countess of Wessex, was tricked into making the unguarded comments about
British public figures by a News of the World reporter.

The report posed as a wealthy Arab sheikh who was offering her PR firm a lucrative contract.

In the press, the tabloid Sun accused SOPHIE, wife of the Queen's youngest son Prince
EDWARD, of having put the future of the Royal family at risk.



Super (CANBERRA)

Labor has back-tracked on its proposed superannuation contribution increase, saying
it's now only committed to an inquiry on an appropriate level.

Opposition treasury spokesman SIMON CREAN says it's welcome that there's now a debate
on superannuation.

Reports of Labor's proposal prompted a stinging response from Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD,
who says it will cost 200,000 jobs.

Business also says Labor's plans will prove devastating.



Toll NSW (SYDNEY)

A man died and a woman was trapped for more than two hours after a single car accident
on the New South Wales central coast.

A police spokesman says a 29-year-old man lost control of his car while driving south
on the F3 freeway at Morisset about 2am AEST today.

A 24-year-old female passenger was trapped in the car for more than two hours before
being freed and airlifted to the John Hunter Hospital in a serious condition.



Meat Abbott (CANBERRA)

Industrial Relations Minister TONY ABBOTT says the federal government has nothing to
hide over a bitter industrial row at a Victorian meatworks.

But Mr ABBOTT has refused to release some 700 government documents relating to the row.

He's told ABC radio that the government believes the documents are commercially confidential,
but the union is entitled to its appeal under freedom of information provisions.

The Australian Meat Industry Employees Union secretary GRAHAM BIRD has told Channel
Nine that the abattoir, G&K O'Connor, used union-busting tactics similar to those employed
by docks company Patrick Stevedores during the 1998 Australian waterfront dispute.



Democrats Despoja (CANBERRA)

New Australian Democrats leader NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA says deposed leader MEG LEES
will retain a key role in the party.

Senator STOTT DESPOJA defeated Senator LEES in a leadership ballot of party members
on Friday night.

Although disappointed at losing, Senator LEES says she will stay on as a backbencher
committed to campaigning in the leadup to this year's federal election.

The new Democrats leader plans to announce minor portfolio changes within the party
early this week.



Mideast rockets (GAZA CITY)

The Israeli army has fired rockets at an office of Palestinian leader YASSER ARAFAT's
Fatah movement in the Gaza Strip.

A security official says the rockets injured four civilians, including a 10-year-old
and a Palestinian policeman, and destroyed two houses.

They were fired from Israeli territory into the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia, near
the green line separating Israel from the occupied territories.

Security sources says the Israeli army has also launched rockets at a police station
in a central Gaza refugee camp, but without causing any casualties.



Peru Vote Exit (LIMA)

Controversial former president ALAN GARCIA appears to be making a surprising comeback
in today's presidential elections in Peru.

Exit polls show that he's gained enough votes to head into a second round challenge
against ALEJANDRO TOLEDO.

First exit polls by four leading institutes give TOLEDO a comfortable lead, followed
by GARCIA, who was only a few points ahead of conservative former politician LOURDES FLORES.



Bananas (BRISBANE)

Imported fruit could threaten Australia's $200 million banana industry because of a
disease outbreak in far north Queensland.

Black Sigatoka has been found in bananas growing in the Tully district and the fruit
can now only be moved with approval from the Department of Primary Industries.

Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers banana committee spokeswoman VICKY KIPPIN-O'CONNOR
says growers and government will work together in a planned response.



Vietnam crash (HANOI)

Former foes Hanoi and Washington are united in grief as they pledge to work together
to establish the cause of a helicopter crash which killed seven US servicemen and nine
Vietnamese nationals.

US Defence Secretary DONALD RUMSFELD was swift to express sadness at the loss of Vietnamese
and American personnel while Vietnam's foreign minister sent his condolences to the families
of the US victims.

The aircraft burst into flames and blew up in the north-central province of Quang Binh
yesterday afternoon while on a mission to prepare for the recovery of Americans missing
in action from the Vietnam War.




BRIEFLY ......

Three children missing since Saturday from suburban Altona North have been found safe
and well in inner-city Melbourne. Police say the children DORA LORD, 14, and her brothers
BARRY, 10, and SEAN, 9, were found shortly before 9am (AEST) in Flinders Lane.



Police say a fire which badly damaged a house in Eumundi just north of Brisbane overnight
may have been deliberately lit.




Britain says it'll take another week before officials declare whether it's over the worst
of a foot-and-mouth epidemic that's devastated its farms and tourist industry.




Officials say two teenagers were killed and 70 injured in a stampede at a Gambian school
athletics contest after someone sprayed insecticide into a crowd of spectators.

A girl aged 16 and a boy of 15 died after a stampede at an inter-school athletics competition
at the Independence Stadium near Banjul.




In SPORT.....

AUGUSTA, Georgia

TIGER WOODS creates history winning the 65th Masters today and becoming the first man
to hold all four modern major golf titles at the same time.

Woods secured his place in history with a two-stoke victory over fellow American DaVID
DUVAL after a compelling final round at Augusta National.

WOODS made six birdies and two bogeys in a four-under-par 68.

Needing to par the final hole to win, he did even better, sinking a birdie putt to
finish at 16-under 272.

DUVAL, who missed a birdie chance from inside two metres at the final hole, shot 67
to finish second on 274, with compatriot PHIL MICKELSON another shot back in third place.



Cricketers return (SYDNEY)

Australian cricket captain STEVE WAUGH has today labelled the tour of India as almost a success.

WAUGH and the other members of Australia's one-day team have returned home following
their 3-2 limited overs series win over India.

WAUGH says it was a tough tour mentally and physically and his team gave 100 per cent
but a couple of batting collapses in the Test series proved costly.



Mooloolaba yachts (SYDNEY)

Wild Thing II was dismasted overnight off Port Macquarie but her cousin, the giant
maxi Wild Thing, is still in the lead in the Sydney to Mooloolaba yacht race.

Wild Thing II, an Inglis 50 now owned by GEOFF LAVIS, was dismasted off Port Macquarie
late last night and will seek shelter for repairs.

The first yachts are expected to cross the finish line after midnight tonight.



Boxer (MELBOURNE)

The Australian Medical Association has stepped up its calls for a ban on boxing following
a Melbourne bout which has left a 29-year-old boxer in a critical condition.

Gold Coast-based boxer AHMAD POPAL is fighting for his life after hitting his head
on the canvas on Friday night in a state title bout in suburban Collingwood.

His injury came in the sixth round of a fight for the Victorian bantamweight championship
title between POPAL and TONY PAPPA.


ENDS MIDDAY roundup



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KEYWORD: MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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