National Newslist for Friday, December 22, 2006

AAP General News (Australia)
12-22-2006
National Newslist for Friday, December 22, 2006
Good Morning News Editors and Chiefs of Staff.

AAP's National Newslist for today (not for publication).

This is a guide only and stories are subject to change.

AAP's news editors can be contacted on (02) 9322 8611 or (02) 9322 8610.

NATIONAL:
BASHIR:
CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard says he's upset for the families of the 88 Australians
killed in the 2002 Bali bombings after Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir was cleared of any
involvement.

CANBERRA - The decision to clear Islamic cleric Abu Bakar Bashir of involvement in the
2002 Bali bombings is unsurprising: Keelty.

CANBERRA - Labor leader Kevin Rudd says he can understand the outrage from the families
of 88 Australians killed in the 2002 Bali bombings after Muslim cleric Abu Bakar Bashir
was cleared of any involvement.

OTHERS:
CANBERRA - Australia has no plans to send extra troops to Iraq, despite suggestions the
US is planning an extra deployment.

CANBERRA - A gun buy back in East Timor could work to reduce the amount of violence in
the troubled nation: Keelty.

SYDNEY - A disgraced former AWB senior executive damned by the Cole report has been singled
out for praise by an American military officer for his role in handing out $71 million
in cash to Iraqis soon after the US-led invasion.

COURTS:
SYDNEY - Following court hearing for P-plater Tyler Green (name suppressed) who crashed
near Lismore, killing four of his mates.

PERTH - Expected court appearance by two teenage women facing wilful murder charges over
the discovery of a body, believed to be that of a missing 16-year-old girl, stuffed into
a bin at a Perth house.

CANBERRA
- Prime Minister John Howard has played down the discovery of a suspicious package in
his Sydney office.

- Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell is sticking to his plan to consult everyone
involved before deciding how much, if any, of the historic Burrup Peninsula rock art will
be saved.

- Even if it is a scorching day on Monday, Prime Minister John Howard and his family will
sit down to a traditional roast turkey Christmas dinner.

- Australian Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty visits Australian officers on postings
in south-east Asia and the Pacific ahead of Christmas.

- Mick Keelty presentation and possible doorstop.

- Peter McGauran announcement re AWB.

- The ACT's budget deficit for 2006-07 is set to be half the size expected.

- Ian Campbell to make announcement regarding heritage listing for Burrup Peninsula.

- More reax to Bashir decision.

SYDNEY
- Half a metre of hail dumped in a freak storm in northern NSW has destroyed an exhibition
centre and damaged 150 homes at Armidale.

- The cost of providing tax concessions to special interest groups is set to rise by 27
per cent to $52 billion a year by 2010, new Treasury figures reveal.

- A union is threatening to pursue higher wage claims following the $11 million private
equity bid for Qantas Airways.

- One man is dead and two teenagers are clinging to life after two separate NSW crashes.

- A man has been charged with attempting to bribe a Sydney police officer.

- Police are searching for a man who attempted to abduct a woman who was walking along
a Sydney street.

- Many red light cameras in NSW operate only half the year or less, with revenues dropping
$26 million since 2005, new figures show.

- A father and son have been fined $35,000 for assaulting a food authority officer inspecting
their chicken abattoir.

- NSW Environment Minister Bob Debus says a delay in work on a key project has not interfered
with the government's plans to solve Sydney's water problems.

- Former Ansett workers still owed more than $90 million following the airline's collapse
in 2001 have delivered an angry Christmas message to Prime Minister John Howard.

- John Watkins and Vince Graham to announce New Year's Eve Sydney travel arrangements.

- Kevin Rudd doorstop.

MELBOURNE
- Fierce winds at Mount Hotham and Mount Buller will test control lines in Victoria's
bushfires today.

- A woman has died and another is in a serious condition after a car smashed into a tree
in Melbourne's north-west.

- A woman was allegedly threatened with a fake pistol during a road-rage incident in Melbourne
early today.

- The Ashes Urn to be installed into an exhibition at Melbourne Museum by cricket legend
Bill Lawry. (1000)
- Victoria Police and cricket authorities to discuss crowd behaviour at the Boxing Day Test. (1015)
- A deal has been reached for a company to take over car parts maker Ajax in Victoria
that went into liquidation last week.

- Australian cricket team captain Ricky Ponting will meet 15-year-old leukaemia sufferer
Allan Wallace, through the Make-A-Wish Foundation. (1600)

BRISBANE
- Police are searching for a man who sexually assaulted a teenage girl as she walked with
a friend in Brisbane's bayside.

- A woman has a suspected fractured skull following a domestic dispute in Queensland's Cape York.

- A woman was sexually assaulted as she stood at an intersection in Brisbane's bayside.

- A woman is due to appear in Caloundra Magistrates Court today over fraud offences she
allegedly committed 15 years ago.

- ABC management has defended criticisms it did not act soon enough after an alarming
rate of breast cancer was discovered among staff at its Brisbane headquarters.

- Premier Peter Beattie to announce new fellowship in memory of late Go-Betweens frontman
Grant McLennan (9am)
- Beattie to hold general presser at 10am.

ADELAIDE:
- Several nightclub patrons in Adelaide have been taken to hospital with breathing difficulties
after a chemical spray was discharged at a suburban bar.

- Severe storms have lashed the Eyre Peninsula with 1,000 homes still without power.

- Liberal Opposition says SA water usage up 23 per cent in the past year.

HOBART:
- Two men have been charged over a series of deliberately lit fires that broke out north
of Hobart yesterday.

FINANCE
EQUITIES NEWS:
SYDNEY - Seven Network Ltd holds an extraordinary general meeting for shareholders about
its proposed restructure.

PERTH - Shaw River Resources Ltd lists on the Australian Stock Exchange.

PERTH - Convergent Minerals Ltd lists on the Australian Stock Exchange.

SYDNEY - Australian Stock Exchange trading ceases at 1415 AEDT.

ROUTINERS:
Stocks, dollar, credit.

SPORT:
CRICKET
MELBOURNE - Ashes news ahead of Boxing Day Test as England team trains and Australian
team reassembles.

SYDNEY - Glenn McGrath says media trying to push him into retirement.

MELBOURNE - Adam Gilchrist presser.

HOBART - Pura Cup match: Tas v WA, Bellerive Oval, day 4.

ADELAIDE - Preview Ford Ranger Cup match SA v Vic.

SYDNEY - Rugby league star Andrew Johns at SCG nets 1020AEDT preparing for his Twenty20
debut for NSW in Newcastle on Jan 7.

SYDNEY - More on Stuart MacGill in wake of Shane Warne's retirement announcement including
his chances of playing Sydney Test.

SAILING
HOBART - News ahead of Sydney to Hobart race starting Boxing Day.

SOCCER
KUALA LUMPUR - Asian Champions League draw involving 2 A League teams.

SWIMMING
MELBOURNE - Australian Open water swimming championships (world championship trials),
St Kilda, day 2.

BASKETBALL
BRISBANE - NBL investigates Brisbane Bullets complaint over an alleged elbowing incident
involving South Dragons player-coach Shane Heal.

CAIRNS - NBL match: Cairns v Wollongong, 2040AEDT.

LAWN BOWLS
SYDNEY - Bowls Australia will stage the inaugural World Team Cup next year after successfully
pitching the concept to the sports international authority, World Bowls.

AAP de

KEYWORD: NATIONAL NEWSLIST

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