AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 5

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AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Aug 5Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430

Mideast (MERON JUNCTION)

Palestinian militants have launched a wave of attacks today, with at least nine peoplekilled in a bus bombing in northern Israel.

Three others are dead in a Jerusalem shooting spree and a rash of other strikes hasleft more than 70 injured.

Overall, 13 people were killed in the violence from the far north of Israel, wherea Palestinian suicide bomber blew apart a civilian bus near Safad.

And an armed Palestinian frogman was shot dead in a failed raid on a coastal Jewishsettlement in the Gaza Strip.

The massive eruption of violence appears to be the bloody vengeance threatened by allPalestinian factions after the military chief of the main Islamist group, Hamas, and 14other people, including nine children, were killed on July 22.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the Jewish settlers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip hascalled for a mass expulsion of Palestinians after the increase in anti-Israeli attacks.

Democrats (CANBERRA)

West Australian Senator ANDREW MURRAY has until tomorrow (Tuesday) to decide whetherto stay with the Australian Democrats.

His colleagues have caved in to Senator MURRAY's demand for extra time, after issuingan ultimatum that he make up his mind by yesterday.

Democrats leader NATASHA STOTT DESPOJA says she's trying to be flexible and is notgoing to lose a senator for the sake of 48 hours.

Senator MURRAY is considering whether to join former Democrats leader MEG LEES as anindependent after he criticised the leadership of Senator STOTT DESPOJA and the party'sdirection.

He has so far declared himself a Democrat in exile, abandoning the party room and relinquishinghis portfolios.

HIH Williams (SYDNEY)

HIH Insurance CEO RAY WILLIAMS will be forced to answer questions tomorrow (Tuesday)about his company's $5.3 billion collapse.

The HIH Royal Commission will examine him over the events leading up to the company'sfailure in March last year, Australia's biggest corporate collapse.

It's alleged Mr WILLIAMS was involved in insider trading to prop up the company's shareprice as it neared the end.

Mr WILLIAMS is due to front the commission tomorrow afternoon.

Stemcell Abortion (SYDNEY)

The country's leading stem cell researcher says tissue from aborted human foetusesmay be used as a source of embryonic stem cells in Australia.

Monash University scientist ALAN TROUNSON has told the Sydney Morning Herald scientistshave always been allowed to use tissue from aborted foetuses for research and transplantation.

He says there is nothing to stop stem cells being used.

The paper says Professor TROUNSON was speaking after a research team in Singapore demonstratedfor the first time the growth of human embryonic stem cells on human tissue cultures.

Divorce (MELBOURNE)

A federal government frontbencher has called for radical changes to Australia's divorcelaws, including financial incentives for couples who stay together.

Catholic Liberal MP for New South Wales ROSS CAMERON says the Family Law Act couldbe amended to offer tax incentives to couples who sign away their rights to no-fault divorce.

Hazelton Rex (SYDNEY)

The replacement airline of defunct carriers Hazelton and Kendell will be known as "Rex".

The Daily Telegraph says the official title of the new regional airline will be RegionalExpress but it's informal name and branding will be Rex.

The two carriers were bought by the Australiawide Airlines consortium.

Tri Streakers (SYDNEY)

Vodafone has admitted it cut a deal with a man who streaked at the Bledisloe Cup, possiblycosting New Zealand the game.

Vodafone managing director GRAHAME MAHER has told The Daily Telegraph the man approachedhim last week saying he might pull an illegal stunt which would give Vodafone publicity.

Mr MAHER says Vodafone also agreed ahead of the event that it would pay any fines incurredas a result of the action.

Two men ran on to the field during the second half of Saturday night's game, wearingnothing but a Vodafone logo.

Telstra (BRISBANE)

A union has warned that telecommunication services in regional Queensland are set tosuffer due to job losses and serious cabling problems.

Communications Electrical Plumbing Union branch secretary PAUL WHITE says 34 technicianscontracted to Queensland Countrywide will be fired in the coming week.

Mr WHITE says the job losses follow the sacking of 150 network builders in Queenslandsince Christmas.

Mr WHITE says staffing problems will be exacerbated by a new study that warns Telstra'sunderground cabling in far north Queensland is deteriorating fast.

IN FINANCE:

MARKETS PREVIEW (MELBOURNE)

The Australian sharemarket is expected to focus on interest rates and economic data this week.

However, the volatile US market will continue to have an influence, with the Australianmarket likely to open weaker today following sharp falls on Wall Street at the end oflast week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average closed 193.49 points down at 8313.13 on news US jobsfigures were lower than expected and that tourists were avoiding Disney theme parks afterthe September 11th terrorist attacks.

Locally, investors will have their eye on interest rates as the Reserve Bank of Australiameets tomorrow (Tuesday) and announces its decision on Wednesday.

Analysts say the slender chance of an interest rate rise this month has disappearedafter disappointing growth in the US economy for the June quarter.

The market will also focus on job ad figures released today, housing finance figureson Wednesday, and a labour force report due on Thursday.

Economy (CANBERRA)

The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry says the economy is showing signs of softening.

The chamber says it's latest survey of business expectations reveals effort shouldbe put into maintaining economic growth.

AAP Indicator (SYDNEY)

Australia's economic growth is expected to continue strongly in the June quarter withdomestic factors clearly outweighing any softening in the global scene.

The AAP economic indicator this month says GDP is expected to have grown 0.9 per centin the June quarter.

That would take growth in the year to June to 4.1 per cent.

IN THE COMMONWEALTH GAMES:

GAMES SWIM (MANCHESTER)

Australia dominated the final day of swimming at the Commonwealth Games taking sixof the seven events as IAN THORPE collected a record six gold medals for the meet.

THORPE was part of the winning medley relay team.

PETRIA THOMAS ended with five golds for the meet, winning today's 200 metres butterflyfinal and being part of the successful women's medley relay team.

JIM PIPER won the 200 metres breaststroke and JENNIFER REILLY won the 400 metres individualmedley.

Aussie BRETT HAWKE had to settle for silver in the men's 50 metres freestyle behindSouth African ROLAND SCHOEMAN.

Australia finished with a total of 206 Games medals - 82 of them gold.

England was next with 54 golds, India 32 and Canada 31.

GAMES HOCK MEN

Defending champion Australia has won the Commonwealth Games men's hockey gold medalin a convincing 5-2 victory over New Zealand.

Games debutante JAMIE DWYER notched a hat-trick as the world no. 2 Kookaburras exactedtheir revenge for Australia's most costly loss to the Kiwis - the Montreal Olympic finalin 1976.

Games Aust (Manchester)

Australia has recorded another dramatic netball championship victory over arch rivalsNew Zealand to retain its Commonwealth Games title.

The gold medal playoff was deadlocked at 46-46 at fulltime and again at the end of14 minutes of extra time.

The match went into sudden death with the score at 55-55, with the first team to leadby two goals declared the winner, the Aussies scoring twice to win 57-55.

Meanwhile, Australia's MILES STEWART has won a silver medal in the men's triathlon.

Also winning silver medals today were Australian lawn bowler KAREN MURPHY in the women'ssingles and Australians BRETT CLARKE and JIAN FANG LAY in the table tennis mixed doubles.

AND IN SPORT:

Soccer World Aust (SYDNEY)

One of the world's most powerful sporting leaders will meet the Prime Minister todayto ask for federal funding for Australia's bid to host the World Cup soccer finals in2014.

Soccer Australia and the New South Wales and Victorian governments plan to bid forthe cup, the biggest single sporting event in the world.

SEPP BLATTER, the president of world soccer's governing body, FIFA, has commended NewSouth Wales Premier BOB CARR and Victoria's Deputy Premier JOHN THWAITES for spearheadingthe bid.

But he says government involvement at federal level is also crucial.

Meanwhile, Soccer Australia President NICK GREINER has reportedly slammed Australia'sbid to host the 2014 World Cup.

In a scathing attack on Soccer's status in Australia, Mr GREINER says the game's managementis dysfunctional and the country is not ready to host the cup.

ENDS BULLETIN

AAP RTV psm/

KEYWORD: BREAKFAST ROUND-UP