AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Dec 15

AAP General News (Australia)
12-15-2003
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Dec 15
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130

Iraq Saddam (TIKRIT)

The arrest of a dishevelled SADDAM HUSSEIN hiding in a rat-infested hole has been hailed
as the end of a dark era for Iraqis.

He'll be the first to be tried before a new Iraqi court set up last week to prosecute
crimes against humanity by his deposed regime.

Iraqis are rejoicing over SADDAM's capture, firing their guns in celebration, honking
car horns and crowding around televisions running pictures of their former leader.

SADDAM -- who swore never to be taken alive -- is now in US custody after being found
hiding in a pit under a mud hut.

US forces say SADDAM never drew his pistol as one of history's most frantic manhunts
ended quietly in a farmyard near his hometown of Tikrit yesterday.

SADDAM's capture has been hailed around the world as a major step forward for Iraq,
and US President GEORGE W BUSH says the 66-year-old will now face the justice that he
denied millions.

But BUSH says the capture won't end deadly attacks on American forces in Iraq.

The commander of the US army's 4th infantry division, Major-General RAYMOND ODIERNO,
says a family close to SADDAM provided the crucial information.

The 66-year-old SADDAM has showed no remorse to members of Iraq's US-installed Governing
Council who have met with him to identify the ex-president after his capture.



Iraq Howard (CANBERRA)

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD says he would support the death penalty for Iraqi dictator
SADDAM HUSSEIN.

And Mr HOWARD's told the Nine Network he'd prefer to see SADDAM tried in Iraq than
in an international tribunal.

He says he wants the ousted dictator tried in circumstances where he'll receive the
justice he denied other people.

Labor leader MARK LATHAM says SADDAM should be tried to the full extent of the law,
and he wouldn't object to the death penalty.

Foreign Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER says SADDAM is likely to be tried in Iraq's war crimes
tribunal -- but he says he's not in favour of the death penalty.

Mr HOWARD, meanwhile, says Australian troops will remain in Iraq until all members
of SADDAM's regime are captured.

Mr HOWARD says Mr BUSH called him about 1.30 this morning to give him the news about
SADDAM's capture.



ALSO ON THE CAPTURE ON SADDAM HUSSEIN......




Defence forces chief General PETER COSGROVE says Australian troops in Iraq can't let
down their guard now that former Iraqi dictator SADDAM HUSSEIN is in custody.




British Prime Minister TONY BLAIR says SADDAM HUSSEIN loyalists are backing a lost
cause now the former Iraqi leader has been arrested.




US officials say SADDAM HUSSEIN'S interrogators are initially focusing on the former
Iraqi president's ties to the guerrilla war.




IN OTHER NEWS...........................



ABARE (CANBERRA)

The nation's chief forecaster says a stronger dollar and the lingering impact of the
drought will cut commodity exports by 5.3 per cent.

The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics says commodity export
earnings will slip to $82.2 billion in 2003-04.

Farm exports are tipped to drop 5.5 per cent to $25.5 billion from $27 billion last
financial year.

Crop exports should remain the same at $13.2 billion, but livestock exports are expected
to slump 11 per cent to $12.3 billion.

Mineral and energy exports are expected to fall 5.5 per cent to $52.7 billion, largely
due to sharp drops in prices.



Pilot (WELLINGTON)

Australian pilot and adventurer JON JOHANSON has taken off from Antarctica after being
stranded on the icy continent for a week.

New Zealand airport officials say JOHANSON is on his way to Invercargill in New Zealand
and should touch down this afternoon.

JOHANSON became stranded at the joint US-New Zealand McMurdo-Scott base without fuel
after strong headwinds forced him to abort his solo flight over the continent a week ago.

He'd earlier become the first person to pass over the South Pole in a homemade, single-engined
aircraft.

US and NZ authorities refused to supply him with 400 litres of fuel he needed to return
to New Zealand because of a policy of discouraging people from landing at the base.



Latham (CANBERRA)

Labor Leader MARK LATHAM says he's saddened to hear that Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD
has given his ministers permission to continue personal attacks on him.

Mr LATHAM says he wants to talk about Australia's future rather than get into squabbles
about his past.

After initially rebuking Health Minister TONY ABBOTT for making comments about Mr LATHAM'S
personal life, Mr HOWARD last week said attacks on Mr LATHAM'S personal style were justified.

Mr LATHAM has told the Nine Network he thinks it's sad that the prime minister has
authorised a focus on personality rather than policy.



Driveby (SYDNEY)

NSW police will be armed with new laws today to crack down on criminals involved in
gun theft and drive-by shootings.

The Firearms and Crimes Legislation Amendment (Public Safety) Bill 2003 takes effect
today allowing police to lay a range of new charges.

New South Wales Police Minister JOHN WATKINS says he anticipates the new laws will
eliminate Sydney's gun crime.

Mr WATKINS says the state's officers now have a specific law relating to drive-by shootings,
with offenders facing jail terms of 14 years.

He says under the legislation, police will not be obliged to prove anyone is in direct
danger from the shots, or that there is any intent to harm.



Timor Cosgrove (CANBERRA)

Defence chief General PETER COSGROVE says Australia will leave about 50 or 60 troops
to assist with training of the East Timorese military once the peacekeeping force comes
home.

But General COSGROVE has rejected suggestions that Australia could continue to deploy
peacekeepers beyond the end of the United Nations mandate on May the 20th.

He says he understands that when the mandate runs out, Australia will withdraw all
of the peacekeeping force.

But he's told a parliamentary committee Australia has an arrangement with the East
Timorese which is separate to that program.

He says 50 to 60 personnel will remain in East Timor, depending on training needs,
once the 400 peacekeepers head home.




BRIEFLY................................




Pakistan's president has survived an assassination attempt near the capital Islamabad.

A bomb exploded moments after General PERVEZ MUSHARRAF'S motorcade passed a bridge in
Rawalpindi, but no-one was hurt.




Two people have been charged over the murder of a Cape York fisherman and his son in June.




Health authorities say a high-security patient has escaped Adelaide's Glenside psychiatric
hospital.




AND IN SPORT...........................



Cricket Aust (ADELAIDE)

India's RAHUL DRAVID has notched up a double century at the start of the fourth day
of the second Test at the Adelaide Oval.

India is seven for 489 in its first innings.



Soccer English (LONDON)

Arsenal has knocked Manchester United off the top of the premier league after DENNIS
BERGKAMP guided them to a 1-0 victory over Blackburn Rovers at Highbury.



Golf Challenge Win (LOS ANGELES)

DAVIS LOVE has fought off a hard-charging TIGER WOODS to capture the $A6.8 million
World Challenge golf tournament in Los Angeles.



ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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