AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, April 8Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130
Iraq Frigate Protest (SYDNEY)
Anti-war protesters have distrupted the departure of an Australian warship bound forthe Persian Gulf, drawing heavy criticism from the prime minister.
Police have removed two protesters who climbed onto HMAS Sydney as it left this morning.
One protester attached himself to the bow of the Australian ship in Sydney Harbour,and another climbed from a runabout up the stern of the guided missile frigate.
Police earlier arrested another protester who was circling HMAS Sydney on a surfboard.
The ship had been farewelled by Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD, other politicians and defence chiefs.
Mr HOWARD says he hopes news outlets downgrade the coverage they give to what he callsstupid behaviour.
He's described the protesters as clowns and says they have no regard for the feelingsof the sailors or the families.
Greenpeace protester STEVEN CAMPBELL says the group's action is to protest Australia'songoing involvement in the conflict in Iraq, and to protest against the conflict itself.
Before HMAS Sydney left Garden Island, Labor leader SIMON CREAN told the sailors theyhave Labor's full support -- but the party remains opposed to the war.
Meanwhile, Defence Minister ROBERT HILL says Australian troops leaving for the warin Iraq today are departing with more confidence and less apprehension than previous deployments.
Iraq (BAGHDAD)
As US forces plunge into Baghdad and British troops take control of Basra, their leadersare talking about what they believe is the approaching end of President SADDAM HUSSEIN'sregime.
With machine gun fire providing cover, US Marines yesterday surged into Baghdad acrossa shattered bridge over a Tigris River tributary.
The assault opened the way for Marines to move in from the south-east while the USinfantry entered from the south-west.
Rather than withdrawing, as units did over the weekend, the troops hunkered down forthe night at the sprawling New Presidential Palace.
US Secretary of State COLIN POWELL says the time has come to think about the post-hostilityphase and how to create a representative government consisting of all elements of Iraqisociety.
POWELL's accompanying President GEORGE W BUSH on a trip to Northern Ireland where BUSHis meeting British Prime Minister TONY BLAIR.
British Defence Secretary GEOFF HOON says SADDAM's rule is coming to an end, and abetter future is in sight for the Iraqi people.
But he's warned that US troops in Baghdad face tough resistance from Iraqi loyalists.
Iraqi officials remain defiant, denying that American forces are even inside Baghdad.
Iraq Hill (CANBERRA)
The federal government says it will bring Australian troops home at the end of the Iraq war.
Defence Minister ROBERT HILL says no decision has been made to commit troops to theso-called phase four -- the rebuilding of Iraq.
But Senator HILL says Australia will play a useful role in Iraq's reconstruction inareas such as agriculture.
Greens Senator BOB BROWN has accused the government of buckling to the White Houseand planning to commit troops long-term to postwar Iraq.
Meanwhile, Opposition leader SIMON CREAN says war in Iraq looks like coming to an earlyend, providing the best hope for the safe return of Australian troops.
IN OTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN THE WAR IN IRAQ.........
US military authorities are investigating reports a missile killed at least 14 civilianswhen it hit a residential area in central Baghdad.
Casualties for coalition troops in the Iraq war continue to mount. US troops reportat least 89 dead, eight missing and seven captured, while British troops have suffered30 dead.
US defence officials say the military is testing samples from a site in Iraq wheresoldiers found possible chemical weapons. American troops found the suspicious materialin a compound near Hindiyah, about 100km south of Baghdad.
US Defence Secretary DONALD H RUMSFELD says Iraqi President SADDAM HUSSEIN'S whereaboutsmay not be known, but the allies know he no longer runs much of Iraq.
The head of the World Food Program warns that Iraq could spiral into the world's largestrelief operation, with a price-tag of more than $A2 billion over three months.
Police near San Francisco have fired a hail of rubber bullets, concussion grenadesand wooden bullets to break up a protest against the US-led war in Iraq.
IN OTHER NEWS........................
Homosexuals (CANBERRA)
Two Bangladeshi homosexuals have taken their argument for refugee status to Australia'sHigh Court.
In a world first, the men are seeking refugee status based on their fear that they'llbe persecuted if they return to Bangladesh because of their sexual preference.
Their lawyer BRUCE LEVET says the case is the first in which a final appellant courthas considered refugee status based on the applicant's homosexuality.
Justice MICHAEL KIRBY granted the pair special leave to appear in October last year.
The men came to Australia in February 1999 and applied for refugee status two weeks later.
Indemnity Coonan (CANBERRA)
Federal Assistant Treasurer HELEN COONAN says patients will be the big winners undera new scheme to cap doctors' liability in medical negligence cases.
Under the federal government proposal, state-based regulators would set the size ofcaps on doctors' liability for injuries inflicted on patients.
In exchange, doctors would have to agree to independent monitoring of professionalservice standards.
On Friday, state and federal ministers agreed to extend caps for professional liabilityclaims already operating in Western Australia and New South Wales to all other states.
Senator COONAN's told ABC radio the new scheme could also help alleviate concerns aboutretirement cover for doctors.
Smoking (MELBOURNE)
Anti-smoking campaigners are pushing for smoking to be banned in Australian pubs andclubs by the end of the year.
ANNE JONES, chief executive of lobby group Action on Smoking and Health, says the secondAustralian Tobacco Control Conference will make the call at an international meeting inMelbourne this week.
She says state governments should recognise the strong public support for smokefreevenues and move to protect the health of all workers in enclosed public places.
About 350 local and international delegates are expected to attend the three-day conference,which starts tomorrow.
Surat (BRISBANE)
One of the three men badly burned in an explosion at a gas drilling site in south-westQueensland has died in hospital.
The 40-year-old man died late last night in the burns unit of the Royal Brisbane Hospitalafter suffering burns to more than 80 per cent of his body.
Two other men remain in a serious but stable condition in the hospital with burns to20 per cent of their bodies.
The men were on a drilling rig at an exploratory gas field site at Myall Creek nearSurat, 500km west of Brisbane, when a fire broke out about late yesterday morning.
BRIEFLY.........................
The death toll from a respiratory virus causing a global health scare has hit 101 todayas more deaths from the mystery disease are reported in Canada, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.
A gunman has opened fire in a classroom at Louisiana Technical College, killing onestudent and wounding another. Police say they are seeking a 22-year-old man believed tobe a student at the school.
The mining union says Swiss-based coal group Xstrata's takeover of MIM Holdings islikely to result in job losses.
FINANCE.........................
Oil Price (NEW YORK)
World oil prices slumped to their lowest in nearly five months as US troops thrustinto the heart of Baghdad.
But prices have recovered a little on the prospect of output cuts by the Organisationof Petroleum Exporting Countries.
New York's light sweet crude benchmark May contract tumbled 66 cents to $US27.96 a barrel.
At 1120 AEST the Australian benchmark S&P/ASX 200 index DROPPED 19.2 points to 2,960.2.
At the same time the all ordinaries index FELL 18 points to 2,923.6.
The Australian dollar was STRONGER at 59.92 US cents after closing in Sydney yesterdayat 59.49 US cents.
The local currency was HIGHER at 56.12 against the euro.
In Sydney, gold GAINED $US1.625 to $US322.25 per fine ounce.
AND IN SPORT....................
Cricket Aust (GEORGETOWN, GUYANA)
Australia's bowlers have been given a genuine fright by the Guyana Board President'sEleven in Georgetown.
The three-day tour match has ended in a draw after the President's Eleven made a stunningassault on an unlikely winning target of 442 at the seaside Everest ground.
League Tigers (SYDNEY)
National Rugby League judiciary chairman JUDGE GREG WOODS has refused the Wests Tigersleave to appeal the 11 week suspension of LUKE O'DONNELL on a dangerous striking charge.
JUDGE WOODS says he can't support the Wests Tigers' argument that the penalty was manifestlyexcessive.
ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP
AAP RTV rp
KEYWORD: MIDDAY ROUND-UP
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