AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Dec 16

AAP General News (Australia)
12-16-2007
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Dec 16
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


Porn (SYDNEY)

Australian police have arrested seven men during an investigation into a child porn
ring with international links.

Six were nabbed in raids in NSW and Victoria overnight .. following a covert operation
by a special strike force set up in February.

A seventh male .. a 17-year-old youth .. was arrested in Queensland in August.

It's alleged the syndicate produced and distributed child porn .. and groomed more
children for future abuse.

Six of the arrested men face child pornography charges .. and one's been charged with
drug-related offences.



Soil Carbon (SYDNEY)

Some scientists and farmers say managed farmlands could help mop up much of the carbon
emitted into the atmosphere.

The scientists say Australia has the largest greenhouse gas emissions per capita in
the world .. and carbon storage in soil has been largely overlooked as a solution for
cutting the carbon footprint.

Biological Farmers of Australia agrees that soil managed under organic and other regenerative
farming systems could be a key tool to combat greenhouse gases.



Turkey Illegals (ANKARA)

Turkish police have arrested seven suspected human traffickers .. following the deaths
of at least 50 illegal migrants in a boat tragedy in the Aegean Sea.

Local media say one suspect has been identified by six survivors as the ringleader of the group.

Officials believe up to 85 illegal migrants were on board the boat .. which capsized
in bad weather last week heading for Greece.



Pakistan Rauf (ISLAMABAD)

A British suspect in an alleged plot to blow up trans-Atlantic jetliners has escaped
from police custody in Pakistan.

Two policemen are being questioned about how RASHID RAUF got away .. after appearing
before a judge at a court in the capital Islamabad.

RAUF .. who also has a Pakistani passport .. was arrested by Pakistani intelligence
agents in August on a tip-off from their British counterparts.

At the time .. Pakistan identified him as a key suspect in an alleged terror plot ..

sparking a security alert in Britain that saw mass cancellations of flights to and from
Heathrow airport for several days in August.



US Obama (WATERLOO)

US Democratic presidential candidate BARACK OBAMA says he doesn't think his campaign
will be hurt .. by another dig at his admitted teenage drug use.

Rival HILLARY CLINTON has personally apologised to OBAMA for comments made by one of
her advisers .. that the senator's past drug use could jeopardise the Democrats' election
chances.

The adviser has since quit.

OBAMA says he doesn't think the average American believes that what somebody does when
they're a teenager .. has any bearing on how they're going to perform as the country's
commander in chief.



Iraq Basra (BASRA)

Britain is transferring responsibility for security in Basra province to Iraqi forces today.

The move will effectively mark the end of nearly five years of British control in the
country's south.

The handover of Iraq's main oil export hub will be the biggest test yet of the Iraqi
government's ability to maintain security without troops from the United States or its
main ally.

Breast Men (SAN ANTONIO)

Doctors are encouraging a new group of people to consider getting tested for genes
that raise the risk of breast cancer .. men.

Male relatives of women with the genes .. BRCA 1 or 2 .. often don't realise they may
also carry them.

New research suggests such men may face greater odds of developing breast .. prostate
.. pancreatic and skin cancer.

Dr MARY DALY .. of the Fox Chase Cancer Centre in Philadelphia .. says people don't
realise the genes can be inherited from the father's side of the family.

They're most prevalent among those of eastern European Jewish descent.



BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS:


Health Vic (MELBOURNE)

The Australian Medical Association is seeking a 116-million dollar injection from the
Victorian government .. to address doctor shortages in rural areas.



Ambulance (BRISBANE)

The Queensland government will slash office jobs and put more paramedics on the road
.. after an audit into its ailing ambulance service revealed it's top-heavy with bureaucracy.



Germany Ship (HAMBURG)

Germany's launched the first commercial merchant ship pulled by a giant kite .. which
helps its engines cut fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.



Iran Music (TEHRAN)

Iranian authorities have approved a plan for Irish pop singer CHRIS DE BURGH to hold
a concert there next year.



NZ Worms (WELLINGTON)

A New Zealander .. who invented a toilet that uses worms to produce compost .. says
he had to prove the worms weren't traumatised .. to get the tick.



IN SPORT:


Cricket Aust (SYDNEY)

New Zealand vice-captain BRENDON McCULLUM has told Australian fast bowler SHAUN TAIT
to stop mouthing off .. until he has the international statistics to back it up.

McCULLUM made 96 for the Kiwis on Friday night in Adelaide as Australia scored a seven-wicket
win to go one-up in the three-match Chappell-Hadlee Series.

Game two will be played at the SCG today .. starting at 2.15pm (AEDT).



Soccer AL Wrap (SYDNEY)

Sydney FC coach JOHN KOSMINA says getting thumped 4-2 by the A-League's bottom club
Perth Glory last night was the wake-up call his men needed in the run to the finals.

With five games left .. Sydney are one point outside the top four .. but the fourth-placed
Newcastle Jets have the chance to extend the gap when they visit Melbourne Victory at
Telstra Dome today.

Glory striker BILLY CELESKI scored a hat-trick at the Sydney Football Stadium last
night .. capitalising on some terrible Sydney errors in one of their worst defensive performances
of the season.



Golf Aust (SYDNEY)

Two-time winner ROBERT ALLENBY is preparing to play the final round of the Australian
Open as he seeks a third title.

ALLENBY and young Newcastle professional JAMES NITTIES will tee off shortly before
1pm (AEDT) at The Australian club in Sydney.

They are 10 under par .. one ahead of STUART APPLEBY .. with CRAIG PARRY and NICK O'HERN
a shot further back in an all-Australian top five.

American BRANDT SNEDEKER is at seven under.



ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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