Fed: Aust to stay in Afghanistan for the long haul

AAP General News (Australia)
02-22-2008
Fed: Aust to stay in Afghanistan for the long haul

By Sandra O'Malley, Diplomatic Correspondent

CANBERRA, Feb 22 AAP - Australia will remain in Afghanistan for the long haul, but
Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon says he understands why Canada has set a withdrawal date
for its troops.

Prime Minister Stephen Harper confirmed overnight Canada would withdraw its 2,500 troops
from the volatile south of Afghanistan in 2011.

The Canadians have suffered a heavy burden from their commitment to Afghanistan, which
has created immense political pressure at home.

Since 2002, 78 Canadian …

FED:HighLights of AAP royal wedding coverage

AAP General News (Australia)
04-28-2011
FED:HighLights of AAP royal wedding coverage

LONDON - Security will force royal wedding guests to prove their identity before being
allowed inside Westminster Abbey for Prince William and Catherine Middleton's wedding
on Friday. (Wedding AM Update)

LONDON - Hundreds of thousands of spectators gathered in London on the eve of the biggest
royal wedding for 30 years after Prince William and Catherine Middleton took part in a
low-key rehearsal for their big day. (Wedding Rehearsal Wrap)

Wedding Wrap to come



SYDNEY - Naively happy newlyweds all need a well-meaning killjoy to alert them to the
unseen potholes lining their petal-strewn path. As a public service to William and Catherine,
AAP Senior Correspondent Doug Conway offers the following gratuitous advice. (Wedding
View)



LONDON - From the engagement ring to the wedding venue, Princess Diana will be present
in every aspect of Prince William's marriage to Catherine Middleton on Friday, just as
her son wanted her to be. (Wedding Diana)



CANBERRA - Light-hearted and occasionally tasteless jokes about Prince Philip and a
comparison of the speed at which princesses reached the altar in the past - that's what
viewers could have expected in The Chaser's now aborted royal wedding special. (Wedding
Chaser)

More to come



LONDON - Larissa Moran and Janelle Howell may have missed out on invitations to the
royal wedding but they have bagged the next best thing. (Wedding Aust. Pix available)



LONDON - Syria's ambassador to London is expected to attend the royal wedding, despite
being summoned to the Foreign Office on Tuesday over the regime's bloody crackdown on
protesters. (Wedding Syria)

BUCHAREST - One person attending Britain's royal wedding has seen it all before: Michael
I, the taciturn former king of Romania. (Wedding Romania)



LONDON - British Prime Minister David Cameron has revealed his wedding gift to Prince
William and Catherine Middleton is a book about Anglesey - the town where the young couple
has set up home. (Wedding Gift)



GRAZ, Austria - It would be the biggest boon to Romanian tourism since Dracula. (Wedding
Honeymoon Romania)



SYDNEY - The marriage of Prince William and Catherine Middleton has literally been
set in stone. (Wedding Brick. Pix and video available)

SYDNEY - If you think all the royal wedding fuss is a bit cheesy, you could be right.

(Wedding Pizza)



TO COME:

+ Wedding Bucklebury

+ Other breaking news on the wedding as it happens.



SEE ALSO: Wedding Briefs, Wedding Guide (RPT), Wedding Romance Timeline (RPT), Wedding
Schedule (RPT).

SEE ALSO: Wedding Advisory for AAP's wedding coverage plans for Friday.





DIGITAL

Please visit our special Royal Wedding section at http://www.aapone.com.au/royalwedding
for easier access to all of our images, graphics (interactive and static), video, and
image galleries for the royal wedding.

Interactive graphics include AAP's royal wedding fairytale book and a timeline of Prince
William, plus various offerings from our agency partners.



For more details, please contact:

Editorial inquiries:

Joanne Williamson, AAP Deputy Editor, on 02 9322 8071 or williamsonj@aap.com.au

Nalita Ferraz, AAP Premium Content Editor, on 02 9322 8092 or ferrazn@aap.com.au

Miguel D'Souza, AAP Multimedia Editor, on 02 9322 8079 or dsouzam@aap.com.au



* Commercial inquiries (including premium and digital content):

David Gifford, 02 93228400, dgifford@aap.com.au

Amrita Sidhu 02 93228299 asidhu@aap.com.au

AAP jlw

KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS WEDDING THURSDAY, APRIL 28

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED:Abbott keeps pressure on Labor

AAP General News (Australia)
08-25-2011
FED:Abbott keeps pressure on Labor

Prime Minister JULIA GILLARD is about to face the media as pressure continues on her
government over the CRAIG THOMSON affair.

Ms GILLARD will hold a media conference at 9.30am (AEST) and is certain to be asked
about the backbencher, whose credit card was misused to pay for escorts while he was president
of the Health Services Union.

Mr THOMSON'S denied using the card himself, but the opposition says Ms GILLARD has
questions to answer about the Labor party's payment of his legal fees in a defamation
suit against Fairfax Media, who first reported the story.

AAP RTV rl/wf

KEYWORD: THOMSON (CANBERRA)

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

SA:SA union takes budget challenge to court

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2011
SA:SA union takes budget challenge to court

ADELAIDE, Feb 14 AAP - Unionists will rally outside the Supreme Court in Adelaide ahead
of a full court hearing of their challenge to the South Australian budget.

The case, brought by the Public Service Association (PSA), will argue that in handing
down the budget in September, then treasurer Kevin Foley acted contrary to an enterprise
agreement covering public servants.

PSA general secretary Jan McMahon said members had felt betrayed by the state government
since the last budget revealed plans to slash more than 3000 jobs, holiday leave loading
for some workers and long-service leave entitlements.

She said members would rally outside the Supreme Court on Monday ahead of its hearing
to determine whether the Industrial Relations Commission could adjudicate on their complaint
while it was still before parliament.

"This is a protest about the government stripping away long service and recreational
leave and taking away job security," she said.

"It seems that members do feel betrayed by the government with the previous treasurer
Kevin Foley legislating away workers' entitlements that had been negotiated in good faith
... within nine months of a signed and done deal."

The hearing is expected to take about half a day.

If they are successful, the matter will go to the Industrial Relations Commission.

AAP lk/cdh

KEYWORD: PSA

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

FED:Main stories in Tuesday's Brisbane paper

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2010
FED:Main stories in Tuesday's Brisbane paper

BRISBANE, Aug 31 AAP - The main stories on Tuesday in Brisbane's The Courier-Mail:

Page 1: Police stations which are supposed to operate around the clock are frequently
closed at night because there are no officers to staff them.

Page 2: Anna Bligh has been embarrassed by one of Labor's most senior members after
declaring her leadership was not an issue at a crucial meeting of MPs.

Page 3: David Jones publicist Kristy Fraser-Kirk has unleashed a devastating fresh
series of sexual misconduct claims against her employer and its former chief executive,
Mark McInnes.

World: US President Barack Obama promised yesterday to fight alongside the people of
New Orleans in their battle to rebuild their city five years after Hurricane Katrina left
it in ruins.

Finance: A sigh of relief on Wall Street sent Australian shares rising almost two per
cent yesterday and surprisingly strong business data helped bolster the positive mood.

Sport: The madcap moment where Australian skipper Ricky Ponting had his career saved
by a Pakistan blunder will be investigated by cricket's corruption police, who will examine
whether it was part of a betting fix.

AAP lpm/rs

KEYWORD: MONITOR FRONTERS QLD

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Qld: Lumpy seas prevent coal carrier docking

AAP General News (Australia)
04-23-2010
Qld: Lumpy seas prevent coal carrier docking

The coal carrier which ran aground in the Great Barrier Reef on Easter is now NOT expected
to be towed to the central Queensland port of Gladstone for a week and a half.

Attempts to pull the Shen Neng 1 with a flotilla of tugs have failed and Maritime Safety
Queensland says it won't try today .. due to forecasts of poor weather and lumpy seas.

MSQ general manager PATRICK QUIRK says more trials are needed to assess the ship's
manoeuvrability before moving the carrier into the Port of Gladstone.

And .. he says this is now unlikely to happen before May 3.

The Shen Neng 1 hit the Douglas Shoal on Easter Saturday .. spilling up to four tonnes
of heavy fuel oil from its ruptured fuel tank and causing extensive damage to the reef.

AAP RTV stg/pjo/wz/psm/

KEYWORD: CARRIER (BRISBANE)

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW; Two people on board crashed firefighting helicopter

AAP General News (Australia)
12-09-2009
NSW; Two people on board crashed firefighting helicopter

Two people were on board a fire-fighting helicopter .. which has crashed near Dorrigo
on the NSW mid-north coast.

The Rural Fire Service says one of its helicopters crashed about 11.30am (AEDT) ..

while it was fighting a bushfire in the area.

Paramedics are at the scene .. but it's not yet known what the condition of the two
people on board is.

AAP RTV ih/wjf/wf

KEYWORD: HELICOPTER (SYDNEY)

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Education might work, but then again ...

New Straits Times
07-20-2009
Education might work, but then again ...
Edition: Main/Lifestyle
Section: Main Section

PUTRAJAYA: When the Malaysian enforcement head in charge of optical disc piracy walked into a DVD store in Canada and asked if it had pirated copies, he got a 20-minute lecture from the salesman.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Ministry enforcement division director-general Mohd Roslan Mahayudin was pleasantly surprised by the lecture against buying pirated goods.
And he hopes that in time, this will be the scenario in Malaysian DVD shops. "Education and awareness are the keys to curbing disc piracy, and we are moving towards that."

Roslan, in outlining the new approach to curb piracy, said the ministry was also going to take the smart approach with street pedlars.

"We don't want to come down hard on them from the word go. We want to engage them in talks, tell them about the consequences and win them over."

Recording Industry Association chief executive officer Tan Ngiap Foo agreed with the educational approach.

He said the public needed to be reminded and education was the best way to solve the issue.

"We should be consistent in our advocacy. The public needs to understand that they have become offenders once they buy counterfeit products."

Tan said the government should hold talks on intellectual property at schools and companies, just as in Hong Kong and the United States.

However, Karyawan president Freddie Fernandez has little faith in education, arguing that many campaigns held to educate the public in the past had failed to get the desired results.

"Artistes and other organisations have campaigned so many times before. We have even reduced the price of DVDs.

"However, the public still chose to buy pirated goods and download movies illegally. What saddened me even more was that some of them were highly educated."

Last year, the music industry lost RM91.7 million to piracy.

But if education is the way to go, then one section in the Copyright Act needs to be looked into.

A legal expert said Section 42 (2) of the Copyright Act 2000 implied that it was all right for a person to own one or two pirated DVDs, as long as they were not for sale.

"With that, the law provides for demand. This sends the wrong message if we want to create awareness among the public to stop buying illegal movie and music discs," he said.

Still, Malaysian Federation Against Copyright Theft executive director Shamsul Jafni Shafie Shamsul is optimistic that this renewed will by the ministry to curb piracy will bring results.

MFACT is the local representative for Motion Picture Association.

"Last year, we saw the mushrooming of stores and peddlers selling pirated optical discs.

"Although the situation is not as bad as it was a decade ago, the recent announcement by the minister to go after the source of these illegal activities is timely and consistent with our views."

He said the authorities needed to act quickly after receiving tip- offs.

But for the future, Shamsul has other issues to worry about, like Internet piracy.

"Because the availability of broadband speed is not as good as in Japan or South Korea, the problem here is under control.

"But in time and with the speed of broadband getting better, traditional hard-goods piracy may move to the Internet where illegal and pirated movies will be made available for streaming or download."

He said more and more pirated optical discs in the market were still being "burnt", although most of them were being churned out using replicating machines.

"In a way, by using these multiple-stack lab burners, it is easy for the illegal producers to hide their tracks.

"When they know that the enforcement is on their trail, they can just take the burners, put them in their vans and run. They can't do this with bulky machines."

(Copyright 2009)

Vic: Pakula appointed to ministry to replace Theophanous =3

AAP General News (Australia)
12-29-2008
Vic: Pakula appointed to ministry to replace Theophanous =3

He fended off suggestions Mr Pakula was a second best alternative to Mr Thornley, describing
the new minister as "impeccably well credentialed" and an outstanding contributor to the
ALP.

"In my mind that's done, that's gone, that's done, that's finished and he's made that
decision," the premier said of Mr Thornley's resignation.

"He's made a solid contribution to the government, we thank him for that, but we've
turned the leaf on that book and this is a new leaf and it's the Martin Pakula book.

"He's the minister for industry and trade and he'll hit the ground running and I couldn't
be more confident in someone to undertake those responsibilities with the energy and the
effort and the success which I know Martin will have."

Mr Pakula said he was delighted to receive the endorsement of the premier and caucus,
and the circumstances of his promotion were "of little of importance".

"The circumstances don't fuss me. What I'm interested in is the role that I now have
to fill and the responsibilities I have on behalf of the government and the people of
Victoria and that's about creating jobs and securing jobs," he said.

AAP cmb/gfr/cdh

KEYWORD: CABINET VIC 3 MELBOURNE (REOPENS)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Sai: Sailing results =2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-20-2008
Sai: Sailing results =2

MEN

Laser - Final standings after 10 regattas

1. Paul Goodison (GBR) 63.0 pts

2. Vasilij Zbogar (SLO) 71.0

3. Diego Romero (ITA) 75.0

4. Gustavo Lima (POR) 76.0

5. Andrew Murdoch (NZL) 81.0

6. Rasmus Myrgren (SWE) 83.0

7. Julio Alsogaray (ARG) 92.0

8. Jean Baptiste Bernaz (FRA) 104.0

9. Mike Leigh (CAN) 109.0

10. Kristian Ruth (NOR) 109.0

11. Igor Lisovenko (RUS) 96.0

12. Luka Radelic (CRO) 101.0

13. Pavlos Kontides (CYP) 113.0

14. Javier Hernandez (ESP) 121.0

15. Evangelos Cheimonas (GRE) 130.0

16. Maciej Grabowski (POL) 131.0

17. Foglia (URU) 133.0

18. Kemal Muslubas (TUR) 146.0

19. Andreas Geritzer (AUT) 157.0

20. Shen Sheng (CHN) 159.0

21. Thomas Barrows Iii (ISV) 164.0

22. Tom Slingsby (AUS) 164.0

23. Anders Nyholm (DEN) 164.0

24. Deniss Karpak (EST) 166.0

25. Andrew Campbell (USA) 174.0

26. Matias del Solar (CHI) 180.0

27. Bruno Fontes (BRA) 184.0

28. Ha Jeemin (KOR) 190.0

29. Zsombor Berecz (HUN) 195.0

30. Pierre Angelo Collura (FIN) 198.0

31. Martin Trcka (CZE) 202.0

32. Allan Julie (SEY) 203.0

33. Juan Maegli (GUA) 206.0

34. Rutger Schaardenburg van (NED) 215.0

35. Yoichi Iijima (JPN) 235.0

36. Seng Leong Koh (SIN) 239.0

37. Christoph Bottoni (SUI) 241.0

38. Leong Keat Kevin Lim (MAS) 249.0

39. Jose Miguel Ruiz Durango (VEN) 249.0

40. Raul Aguayo (DOM) 258.0

41. Marc Schmit (LUX) 267.0

42. Adil Khalid Mohammad (UAE) 272.0

43. Gregory Douglas (BAR) 299.0



RS:X - Windsurfer

(Through 10 races)

1. Julien Bontemps (FRA) 45

2. Nick Dempsey (GBR) 46

3. Tom Ashley (NZL) 46

4. Shahar Zubari (ISR) 54

5. Ricardo Santos (BRA) 65

6. Nikolaos Kaklamanakis (GRE) 75

7. King Yin Chan (HKG) 82

8. Wang Aichen (CHN) 85

9. Ivan Pastor (ESP) 93

10. Makoto Tomizawa (JPN) 98

11. Joao Rodrigues (POR) 101

12. Maksym Oberemko (UKR) 103

13. Andreas Cariolou (CYP) 111

14. Richard Stauffacher (SUI) 111

15. Casper Bouman (NED) 112

16. Przemyslaw Miarczynski (POL)116

17. David Mier Y Teran (MEX) 129

18. Lee Taehoon (KOR) 133

19. Aron Gadorfalvi (HUN) 136

20. Fabian Heidegger (ITA) 138

21. Mariano Daniel Reutemann (ARG) 168

22. Ertugrul Icingir (TUR) 172

23. Zac Plavsic (CAN) 181

24. Jonas Kaeldsoe Poulsen (DEN)201

25. Ek Boonsawad (THA) 203

26. Ben Barger (USA) 217

27. I Gusti Made Oka Sulaksana (INA) 225

28. Mikalai Zhukavets (BLR) 229

29. Carlos Julio Flores Perez (VEN) 232

30. Patrik Pollak (SVK) 243

31. Chang Hao (TPE) 260

32. Luka Mratovic (CRO) 265

33. Johannes Ahun (EST) 273

34. Alexey Tokarev (RUS) 279

35. Santiago Grillo (COL) 293



WOMEN

Laser Radial - Final standings after after 10 regattas

1. Anna Tunnicliffe (USA) 37.0 pts

2. Gintare Volungeviciute (LTU) 42.0

3. Xu Lijia (CHN) 50.0

4. Sarah Blanck (AUS) 62.0

5. Sarah Steyaert (FRA) 77.0

6. Nathalie Brugger (SUI) 90.0

7. Jo Aleh (NZL) 90.0

8. Evi van Acker (BEL) 91.0

9. Katarzyna Szotynska (POL) 109.0

10. Penny Clark (GBR) 112.0

11. Mateja Petronijevic (CRO) 98.0

12. Cecilia Carranza Saroli (ARG) 104.0

13. Tania Elias Calles (MEX) 107.0

14. Karin Soderstrom (SWE) 107.0

15. Petra Niemann (GER) 109.0

16. Nufar Edelman (ISR) 111.0

17. Lisa Ross (CAN) 111.0

18. Eftychia Mantzaraki (GRE) 115.0

19. Larissa Nevierov (ITA) 124.0

20. Ciara Peelo (EIR) 127.0

21. Susana Romero (ESP) 127.0

22. Tuula Tenkanen (FIN) 128.0

23. Tatiana Drozdovskaya (BLR) 128.0

24. Florencia Cerutti (PAR) 142.0

25. Man Yi Lo (SIN) 148.0

26. Paloma Schmidt (PER) 163.0

27. Anastasia Chernova (RUS) 168.0

28. Cathrine Margrethe Gjerpen (NOR) 202.0



RS:X (Through 10 races)

1. Yin Jian (CHN) 33

2. Alessandra Sensini (ITA) 38

3. Bryony Shaw (GBR) 41

4. Jessica Crisp (AUS) 46

5. Marina Alabau (ESP) 46

6. Barbara Kendall (NZL) 63

7. Zofia Klepacka (POL) 66

8. Olha Maslivets (UKR) 73

9. Wai Kei Chan (HKG) 75

10. Maayan Davidovich (ISR) 97

11. Faustine Merret (FRA) 100

12. Irina Bontemps (BUL) 101

13. Yasuko Kosuge (JPN) 102

14. Jannicke Staalstroem (NOR) 107

15. Athena Frai (GRE) 107

16. Tuuli Petaja (FIN) 117

17. Nikola Girke (CAN) 125

18. Patricia Freitas (BRA) 135

19. Bettina Honore (DEN) 142

20. Napalai Tansai (THA) 169

21. Gavriella Chatzidamianou (CYP) 182

22. Diana Detre (HUN) 185

23. Demita Vega (MEX) 190

24. Tatiana Bazyuk (RUS) 198

25. Florencia Gutierrez (ARG) 216

26. Nancy Rios (USA) 224

27. Sedef Koktenturk (TUR) 232

AFP bd

KEYWORD: OLYR08 SAI RESULTS 2 BEIJING (REOPENS)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

0700 4BC Brisbane Headlines

AAP General News (Australia)
04-13-2008
0700 4BC Brisbane Headlines

- Man arrested for rape and stalking on the Gold Coast

- Fire crews pull man's body from house fire in Townsville

- Five fishermen treated for minor hypothermia after being rescued off Mackay

- Warnings a national FuelWatch scheme won't make petrol cheaper

- Australian man in Thai hospital after condoms filled with hashish ruptured in his stomach

- Noeline Brown appointed Ambassador for Ageing

SPORT

- NRL, AFL, Golf

AAP RTV tm

KEYWORD: 0700 4BC

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Free travel on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve

AAP General News (Australia)
12-10-2007
Vic: Free travel on Christmas Day and New Year's Eve

Victoria's Country and city travellers will ride for free on public transport on Christmas
Day and New Year's Eve this year.

Melbourne's tram .. train and bus services will also run all night on New Year's Eve.

State Transport Minister LYNNE KOSKY says the government's offering the free services
for the third year in a row .. to help ease pressure on the roads.

She's urged people to leave their cars at home and take advantage of the free services.

Country V/Line passengers will travel free on Christmas Day and on services arriving
in Melbourne after 6pm on New Year's Eve .. as well as on the first service on January
1, 2008.

AAP RTV kn/gfr/af

KEYWORD: TRANSPORT VIC (MELBOURNE)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Thomas terror trial delayed

AAP General News (Australia)
04-26-2007
Vic: Thomas terror trial delayed

MELBOURNE, April 26 AAP - The trial of a Melbourne man facing terrorism-related charges
has been delayed after his barristers pulled out of the proceedings.

Joseph Terrence Thomas was due to stand trial in the Victorian Supreme Court this month.

The 33-year-old has pleaded not guilty to intentionally receiving funds from a terrorist
organisation and possessing a falsified Australian passport.

The Victorian Supreme Court today heard Thomas' barristers Lex Lasry QC and Mark Taft
SC had withdrawn from the case because they may have to give evidence at his trial.

This comes after his solicitor Rob Stary earlier pulled out of the proceedings, also
because he may be called to give evidence.

Justice Bill Gillard said it was unfortunate these matters were not raised before the
trial was due to start.

He said Thomas' new lawyer would now need time to find new counsel.

Justice Gillard said the next available date for the trial would be September and adjourned
the matter for a date to be fixed.

AAP mok/gfr/cjh/cdh

KEYWORD: THOMAS

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Teenager serious after trail bike crash

AAP General News (Australia)
12-26-2006
NSW: Teenager serious after trail bike crash

SYDNEY, Dec 26 AAP - A teenager is in serious condition with head and possible spinal
injuries after a trail bike accident south-west of Sydney.

The NRMA CareFlight trauma team flew to a property near Appin to treat the rider who
was left unconscious when he crashed just after 1pm.

The CareFlight doctor said the 19-year-old local man was semiconscious when the trauma
team reached him on the property, 70km south-west of Sydney.

He was flown to Liverpool Hospital where he was in a serious but stable condition.

The teenager was unable to recall how he crashed.

AAP pmu/cjh/de

KEYWORD: TRAIL

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Economic growth picked up: Macfarlane=2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-18-2006
Fed: Economic growth picked up: Macfarlane=2

Reserve Bank governor IAN MACFARLANE says interest rates are more likely to go up ..

rather than come down in coming months.

Mr MCFARLANE'S giving evidence for the last time to the House of Representatives economics
committee .. before his retirement next month.

He says it's clear the May interest rate rise .. and higher petrol prices .. haven't
knocked around the economy too much.

Mr MACFARLANE says the bank's recent three increases in interest rates are still working
their way through the economy.

He says while consumers haven't gone into their shell .. they've certainly slowed their
spending down .. and may slow it by more.

AAP RTV/sw/sb/bart

KEYWORD: RBA MACFARLANE 2 CANBERRA

) 2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Qld: Highlights of Ten News at 1700

AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2006
Qld: Highlights of Ten News at 1700

BRISBANE, April 11 AAP - Main stories on Ten News at 1700 AEST:

- After a horror weekend on the roads, police will flood the streets to curb outrageous
driving as part of their Easter campaign.

- Serial killer Francis Faye will probably die in jail after he was given a life sentence
for the brutal slaying of two prostitutes.

- The planned route of a road to carry heavy trucks to and from a quarry on Brisbane's
western outskirts has enraged local residents. They say hundreds of trucks servicing the
proposed Kholo Creek Quarry will ruin their quiet neighbourhoods.

- Despite the evidence of a former Australian Wheat Board boss, Alexander Downer has
denied any knowledge wheat board money ended up in the pockets of the ruthless dictator,
Saddam Hussein.

- Detainees in Sydney's Villawood Detention Centre have been freed, but only briefly.

It's been closed for asbestos contamination but some of the detainees are refusing to
go.

AAP ch

KEYWORD: MONITOR TEN 1700

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Freehills to give govt legal advice over Telstra study

AAP General News (Australia)
04-05-2005
Fed: Freehills to give govt legal advice over Telstra study

CANBERRA, April 5 AAP - National law firm Freehills has been chosen to provide the
federal government with legal advice over a study about the full sale of Telstra.

Finance Minister Nick Minchin said Freehills would act as legal adviser on the scoping
study into the full Telstra sale, providing advice on issues surrounding the study, as
well as processes relating to the full privatisation of the telco.

Senator Minchin said the government had an option to retain Freehills as legal adviser
if the government proceeded with the full sale.

Freehills - one of five firms asked to tender for the job - advised the government
of the sale of the first and second tranche of Telstra shares.

The Australian Government Solicitor has also been appointed in-house counsel on the
scoping study and possible sale.

AAP so/sb/lb/sd

KEYWORD: TELSTRA

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

U.S. Stocks Mixed But Dow Closes Over 11,000 As Techs Weaken.

NEW YORK, Aug. 11 /PRNewswire/ --

U.S. share prices rose Friday with the exception of technology issues, which suffered from heavy selling in Dell Computer, sources told Market News.

Benefiting from rotation out of technologies, the Dow Industrials ended above 11,000 for the first time since April 25, rising 119.04 to 11,027.80. The Nasdaq Composite rose 29.42 to 3,789.41.

Economic data was mixed with an unchanged producer price reading keeping inflation worries down but a strong retail sales report raising concern that consumer spending may put upward pressure on interest rates.

Retail sales jumped 0.7 percent in July vs. expectations for a rise of 0.4 percent. Despite the report, which showed strength across most sectors, dealers and analysts say the Federal Reserve is unlikely to raise rates at its August 22 policy meeting.

Dell fell 4 9/64 to 37 39/64 [DELL] in extremely heavy trading on disappointment over the company's revenues. The computer maker narrowly beat out estimates late Thursday, but posted a disappointing 25 percent rise in revenues and put into jeopardy full-year estimates for 30 percent growth.

Dealers said lifelessness in leaders Cisco, up 41/64 at 64 1/64 [CSCO], and Applied Materials, 1/8 at 69 1/8 [AMAT], both beating estimates earlier in the week, is further evidence that sentiment is on the downswing for the sector.

But good news for the sector came from Internet auction firm Dovebid, which filed for a $60 million initial public offering. The company previously withdrew an $80 million offering after the April market collapse.

Outside technologies, Philip Morris rose 2 to 31 [MO] following positive broker comments, as did rival Loews up 5 7/16 at 81 [LTR].