AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, April 12

AAP General News (Australia)
04-12-2009
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, April 12
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430


ASEAN Wrap (PATTAYA)

Prime Minister KEVIN RUDD has been forced to abandon a visit to Thailand where violent
protests forced the cancellation of a major summit of Asian leaders.

Mr RUDD's special purpose air force plane was a few hours from the conference venue
.. in Pattaya .. when the Thai resort town of sank into chaos as protesters forced their
way into the conference centre yesterday afternoon.

His plane was diverted to an undisclosed location for refuelling .. with officials
saying he's to head back to Canberra.

Mr RUDD had expected to be at Pattaya for the East Asia Summit today to talk with 15
leaders in the region about the global financial crisis and North Korea's recent rocket
launch.

But thousands of Thai anti-government protesters smashed their way into the hotel and
convention centre .. calling for Prime Minister ABHISIT VEJJAJIVA to resign.

UN chief BAN KI-MOON has expressed his regret at the cancellation.

Officials have not said if or when the summit would resume.



Fiji Aust (CANBERRA)

The Australian government is considering imposing sanctions on Fiji as the military
regime suspends democracy and censors the media.

Military commander Commodore FRANK BAINIMARAMA was reappointed as the island's interim
prime minister yesterday .. two days after his two-year old coup regime was declared illegal.

Fiji President RATU JOSEFA ILOILO has thrown out the constitution .. sacked the judiciary
and appointed himself head of state .. and a military censor has been positioned in the
newsroom of Fiji's largest daily newspaper.

Trade Minister and Acting Foreign Minister SIMON CREAN says the latest developments
are disturbing .. and Fiji faces expulsion from the Pacific Islands Forum and possible
sanctions.

The Department of Foreign Affairs is urging travellers to avoid the Fiji capital .. Suva.



Toll National (SYDNEY)

Three more people died on the nation's roads yesterday .. lifting the Easter weekend
toll to nine.

The latest fatality was in Queensland .. where a motorcycle and a car collided at in
Brisbane's south last night.

Meanwhile .. in Victoria a woman died and another was seriously injured when a car
smashed into a tree on the Great Ocean Road .. the state's first fatality of the holiday
period.

Four people have died in New South Wales this Easter .. two in Queensland .. and one
each in Victoria .. Western Australia and the ACT.



Quake Italy Toll (L'AQUILA)

The search for more survivors from Monday's devastating earthquake in central Italy
is due to wrap up later today.

Sky TG24 TV reports the death toll from the quake climbed to 293 overnight after rescue
workers unearthed the bodies of a 70-year-old woman .. another in her 40s and a 17-year-old
boy from a collapsed building in L'Aquila.

About 10 thousand buildings were destroyed in the quake .. leaving nearly 40 thousand
people homeless.



Lending (SYDNEY)

Federal Cabinet has signed off on two new pieces of legislation to stop predatory lending
practices by banks .. card providers and finance brokers.

Under the proposed laws .. credit card providers that push unwanted cards and increased
limits onto customers who can't afford them will lose their lending licences.

All credit providers will have to be licensed under the new laws and borrowers will
be able to take the lender or bank to an independent disputes resolution body.

Loan sharks who charge punitive interest rates .. will also be targeted under the laws.



Bikies Prison (SYDNEY)

Five guards have been injured in a brawl between jailed bikies in Sydney's Parklea prison.

News Limited reports members of Notorious bikie gang attacked jailed Bandido ABDUL
BAGDADI during a morning muster on Friday.

One prison guard suffered a broken finger while others suffered cuts and bruises and
required hospital treatment.

Meanwhile .. in Sydney's west police swooped on a licensed premises in Prospect yesterday
afternoon to disrupt what they say was a well-organised meeting of high-ranking bikie
members from the Rebels .. Bandidos .. Finks .. Outcasts .. Gypsy Jokers .. Life & Death
.. and Loan Wolf gangs.

Approximately 70 members and their vehicles were searched .. and three men will appear
in court over weapons charges.



Somalia Pirates (MOGADISHU)

Pirate commanders say US Captain RICHARD PHILLIPS will be moved from the lifeboat on
which he is being held hostage to another ship off the Somali coast.

Captain PHILLIPS was taken hostage by pirates on Wednesday while captaining the US
cargo ship the Maersk-Alabama.

Pirate commander ABDI GARAD says PHILLIPS will be moved from the lifeboat where he
is being held captive by four pirates.

Navy forces have been pouring into the region amid the standoff .. and a transfer to
a larger ship would make rescue efforts more difficult.

Meanwhile .. 16 crew aboard an Italian tug boat are being held captive in the Gulf of Aden.

Owners of the tug .. Micoperi Marine Contractors .. says it was hijacked about eight pm (AEST).

The crew includes 10 Italians .. five Romanians and one Croat .. they are believed
to be unharmed.



Briefly in other news ..



Iraq Unrest (HILLA)

At least nine people have been killed and another 23 wounded in a suicide bomb attack
at the headquarters of a US-allied Sunni militia south of Baghdad.



Indon Vote (JAKARTA)

Indonesia's general elections have been marred by hundreds of complaints about irregularities
.. independent polling agencies are putting President SUSILO BAMBANG YUDHOYONO'S Democratic
Party ahead in the votes .. but the official results are not expected until May 9.



Freeman (MELBOURNE)

Olympian CATHY FREEMAN has married her long-time partner JAMES MURCH in front of 120
guests at the Spray Farm winery at Portarlington on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula.



in Sport ..



League (SYDNEY)

Canberra .. Melbourne and the Gold Coast have all secured wins in yesterday's NRL action.

The Raiders backed up their victory over the Cowboys on Monday with a 24-14 win at
Cronulla .. Melbourne edged a narrow contest against Penrith 16-14 at Olympic Park while
the Titans made it two losses within a week for North Queensland with a 14-10 win in Townsville.

This afternoon Newcastle host the New Zealand Warriors, while win-less Manly welcome
the Wests Tigers to Brookvale Oval.



AFL Wrap (Melbourne)

Essendon have upset Carlton by four points in a pulsating AFL match last night at the MCG.

It's the closest game so far in round three .. with Brisbane beating Sydney by 33 points
and St Kilda thumping West Coast by 97 points.

Today .. Port Adelaide host Melbourne .. North Melbourne will try to put their chicken
video scandal behind them when they play Hawthorn at Etihad Stadium and Fremantle host
Adelaide.



Super Wrap (CANBERRA)

The Brumbies have a recorded an emotional Super 14 victory over Stormers 17-10 at Canberra
Stadium just days after the death of teammate SHAWN MACKAY.

The victory means the Brumbies stay in touch with the top four.

The NSW Waratahs slumped to a 20-6 defeat at the hands of the Bulls at the Sydney Football
Stadium .. dropping to fourth on the ladder .. while Queensland went down 24-19 to the
Highlanders in New Zealand.

And the last-placed Cheetahs stunned ladder leaders the Sharks 31-6.



Sail Gladstone (BRISBANE)

The last yacht over the line in the 61st Brisbane to Gladstone yacht race is not expected
until lunch time today .. although a number of crew already finished yesterday.

Quantum Racing finished second at 1.23pm (AEST) yesterday .. with Wot Yot .. Wot Now
.. Shogun not far behind.

PETER HARBURG'S pocket rocket Black Jack romped to an impressive line honours win in
the 308 nautical mile race yesterday morning just after 9am (AEST).



ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

Broadcast Desk inquiries 24 hours: 02 9322 8714

AAP RTV ka

KEYWORD: BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

2009 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.