AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2011
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 27
BREAKFAST ROUND-UP: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430
THOMSON (MELBOURNE)
Financial records linked to embattled Labor MP CRAIG THOMSON's former leadership of
the Health Services Union have reportedly disappeared.
Fairfax Media says both Fair Work Australia and an auditor have failed to track down
documents for periods between 2002 to 2007 when Mr THOMSON occupied the top job at the
HSU.
The employment body has been investigating the union's financial management under Mr
THOMSON since April 2009.
HSU national secretary KATHY JACKSON has told The Age newspaper there are a lot of
records missing from the organisation, but it's unclear why the records are lost.
She also says she isn't intimidated by a shovel placed symbolically on the doorstep
of her Melbourne home after she referred financial issues relating to union accounts to
New South Wales police.
Meanwhile, the federal government says Opposition Leader TONY ABBOTT overreached by
suggesting Prime Minister JULIA GILLARD knew about an investigation into a Labor MP before
the public did.
NIGERIA BLAST (ABUJA)
A suicide bomb blast's rocked the UN compound in the Nigerian capital Abuja, killing
at least 18 people, leaving others trapped and blowing out large areas of the building.
Witnesses say the bomb went off after a suspect forced his way through security and
rammed the car into the building.
There is no immediate claim of responsibility, but an Islamist sect known as Boko Haram
has been blamed for scores of bombings in recent months.
UN chief BAN KI-MOON has condemned the attack, saying considerable casualties are expected
after the attack on people who devote their lives to helping others.
IRENE/GREECE FIRE (NAGS HEAD)
US President BARACK OBAMA is returning to Washington early from his holiday, as Hurricane
Irene roars towards the US east coast amid fears it could score a direct hit on
New York,
and the city's mayor orders the first 250-thousand mandatory evacuations.
Some 65 million people along the densely populated US East Coast are waiting for the
dangerous hurricane that could inflict billions of dollars in damage in an arc from Washington
to Baltimore, Philadelphia,
New York and Boston.
Meanwhile, Greece has declared a state of emergency near its northeastern border with
Turkey and asked the European Union for help to battle a wildfire that is burning out
of control for the third day.
And, Switzerland's national weather service has issued a dangerous storm alert for
most of the country, warning of a cold front with possible torrential rainfall and 155
kilometre gusts, describing the conditions as meteorological phenomena of unusual intensity.
US BERNANKE/GREECE/GERMANY (WASHINGTON)
US central bank chief BEN BERNANKE has called on political leaders to do more to boost
jobs and the housing market, saying the Federal Reserve can do little at this time to
support economic growth.
BERNANKE has given no indication that the Fed will adjust monetary policy, and instead
pushed the ball back to the government, while warning that politicians need to resolve
their battle over spending and debt, which he says could seriously jeopardise future growth.
Meanwhile, the Greek finance minister says the debt-stricken country's severe recession
has been made worse by austerity measures and the government may miss its budget target.
And Germans have been told they have more personal assets now than at any point since
record-keeping began in 1991, after a strong increase in economic performance.
LIBYA AU (ADDIS ABABA)
South African President JACOB ZUMA says the African Union won't recognise Libya's rebel
authority yet and has instead called for the formation of an all inclusive transitional
government, because fighting is still going on.
The statement came as Libya's rebels announced the transfer of their leadership to
Tripoli from their Benghazi base, boosted by a United Nations decision to release millions
of dollars in aid within days.
Meanwhile, British warplanes have struck a large bunker in MUAMMAR GADDAFI's hometown
of Sirte, his largest remaining stronghold, and there are reports of massive atrocities
taking place.
A rebel leader says pro-GADDAFI forces killed 150 prisoners in Tripoli, while another
report says wounded pro-GADDAFI fighters are being left unattended at a clinic, with dozens
of decomposing bodies piled up in an abandoned hospital.
BUTTROSE (SYDNEY)
Media identity ITA BUTTROSE is considering running for Lord Mayor of Sydney.
It's understood Ms BUTTROSE, a former editor of the women's magazine Cleo, is backed
by a business heavy weight from the eastern suburbs and is thinking about taking on successful
Independent MP CLOVER MOORE in the local elections in September next year.
Ms BUTTROSE has told the Seven Network she hasn't made up her mind, but is always interested
in opportunities.
JAPAN NUCLEAR (TOKYO)
Japan's nuclear agency says the amount of radioactive cesium leaked from a tsunami-hit
nuclear plant is about equal to 168 of the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima.
The estimate was requested by a parliamentary panel.
But the Nuclear and Industrial Safety Agency says a simple comparison between an instantaneous
bomb blast and long-term accidental leak is impossible.
ABDUCTION (CANBERRA)
Two fathers who experienced the nightmare of having their sons taken from Australia
by former partners have urged the federal government to make the act a crime.
LAUCHLAN LEISHMAN and KEN THOMPSON have told a Senate committee the situation surrounding
international child abductions needs a desperate overhaul.
NINE (SYDNEY)
A major law firm says the Nine Network reporters sacked for faking live helicopter
crosses to the DANIEL MORCOMBE search site could successfully appeal their dismissals.
Brisbane journalists CAMERON PRICE and MELISSA MALLET were fired on Thursday aftera
deceptive television broadcast claiming to be live from the Sunshine Coast.
Workers' compensation lawyers MAURICE BLACKBURN say the reporters could successfully
appeal their dismissals, although a senior expert says they will have to prove that the
employer condoned their behaviour.
VALOUR (SYDNEY)
A volunteer firefighter, who helped rescue more than 45 people during the Queensland
flash floods has been awarded the Benjamin Franklin Fire Service Award for Valour.
KENDALL THOMPSON, Captain of Moombi Rural Fire Brigade for the Tamworth District, is
a helicopter winchman, who battled to pull people to safety in South East of Queensland
in January this year.
BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS ..
MOROCCO FALLS (LONDON)
British and Moroccan officials are investigating after a couple died in separate falls
during a holiday in Morocco, leaving four boys orphaned.
SOLAR (SYDNEY)
The
New South Wales opposition has referred Deputy Premier ANDREW STONER to the Independent
Commission Against Corruption over his application to the Solar Bonus Scheme.
CONDOMS (MELBOURNE)
Victorian prisoners will have access to condoms and dental dams to combat the rates
of sexually transmitted diseases in custody.
HELICOPTER (BRISBANE)
The Queensland government has grounded three of its rescue choppers after two of the
same model helicopters crashed in China and Brazil, killing eight.
IN SPORT ..
RL WRAP (SYDNEY)
Manly have beaten Melbourne 18-4 in a top-of-the-table NRL clash at Brookvale, ending
the Storm's 12-game winning streak.
And Parramatta have done it again, blowing a lead to go down 13-12 to the Sydney Roosters
in golden point extra time in the NRL clash at Parramatta Stadium.
AFL DOCKERS (PERTH)
Star midfielder DALE THOMAS is in danger of missing the start of Collingwood's AFL
finals campaign after dishing off a dodgy bump in the Magpies' 80-point triumph over injury-cursed
Fremantle at Patersons Stadium.
THOMAS flattened Dockers defender GARRICK IBBOTSON with a late, head-high bump just
five minutes into the 20.12 (132) to 8.4 (52) victory.
CRI AUST (COLOMBO)
New South Wales batsman USMAN KHAWAJA seems a certainty to play in next week's first
Test against Sri Lanka after posting a century in Australia's practice match in Colombo.
ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP
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