AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Dec 31

AAP General News (Australia)
12-31-2005
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Dec 31
Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430


Packer Memorial (SYDNEY)

KERRY PACKER's family has accepted an offer from the prime minister for a state memorial service.

The Weekend Australian reports JOHN HOWARD made the offer to the family when he called
on Tuesday to pay his respects.

The service reportedly will be held in Sydney .. in February.

Meanwhile a private family ceremony has been held at the Packer family's property at
Ellerston in the Hunter Valley .. where Mr PACKER's been laid to rest.



Doctors (SYDNEY)

Doctors will have to tell private health patients how much their operation will cost
.. or risk not being paid.

Under reforms being considered by the federal government .. the Private Health Insurance
Ombudsman will be given the power to investigate complaints related to gap costs.

If the ombudsman rules a private hospital hasn't sought a patient's consent to the
cost of treatment .. the patient might not have to pay.



Newspoll Iraq Aust (SYDNEY)

Voter support for Australia's involvement in the Iraq war has plummeted.

A Newspoll of 12-hundred Australians .. published in the Weekend Australian .. shows
66 per cent of voters believe our participation wasn't worthwhile .. compared with 58
per cent one year ago.

And fewer than half of coalition supporters now believe the war was worth it.



Bushfires Ban (SYDNEY)

Fire bans are in force in New South Wales .. Victoria and the ACT.

Firefighters are bracing themselves for the worst as weather forecasters predict soaring
temperatures and low humidity over most of southeastern Australia.

Dry and gusty winds are a big concern.



Eve (SYDNEY)

As millions of Australians prepare to celebrate the New Year .. authorities are urging
us to take care.

Hospitals say people who drink should be responsible .. because emergency departments
are already under strain handling alcohol-related illnesses and injuries.

And Queenslanders are being warned of the dangers of late-night swimming.

Nearly half of the 13 drownings in Queensland last summer happened before 8 am .. and
eight per cent were after 5 pm.



Toll National (SYDNEY)

The national holiday road toll stands at 32.

The death of a 21-year-old woman in central Queensland has taken that state's holiday
road toll to 10.

Seven people have died on Victoria's roads .. with Western Australia and New South
Wales recording five deaths each.

South Australia has recorded three deaths .. while two have been killed in Tasmania.

The ACT and the Northern Territory remain fatality-free.



OVERSEAS:

Sudan Egypt (CAIRO)

Ten Sudanese refugees have been killed in Egypt .. as thousands of riot police broke
up a three-month protest outside UN offices in Cairo.

Police armed with sticks and shields stormed the small square where the Sudanese were
camped .. causing a stampede that left 30 of the protesters injured.

They were immediately taken to hospital .. where 10 of them died.



Indon Spying (DENPASAR)

The chief of Indonesia's spy agency has opened the country's first local intelligence
office on Bali.

Officials say it will speed up coordination between Jakarta and local intelligence agents.

Similar local operations are being set up throughout the Indonesian islands.

Bali has been bombed twice in recent years .. in attacks targeting Westerners.



Europe Weather (VIENNA)

Europe's second snowstorm this week has piled drifts on roads and railway lines ..

stranding drivers and delaying trains.

Police in Poland say 23 people .. many of them homeless .. have died of the cold there
since December 20.

Forty vehicles have piled up on Hungary's busiest motorway .. killing an eight-year-old
boy and injuring 11 other people.



Med Birth (WASHINGTON)

A new study shows pregnant women who are coached through their first delivery don't
fare much better than those who just do what feels natural.

Researchers in Texas found that women who were told to push 10 minutes for every contraction
gave birth 13 minutes sooner than those who weren't given specific instructions.

But they say the difference has little impact on the overall birth .. which on average
takes up to 14 hours.



AND IN SPORT:

Cricket Aust (MELBOURNE)

Australia's cricketers will fly to Sydney today .. one-nil up in the Test series against
South Africa .. and ready to begin their preparations for next week's third Test at the
SCG.

The Australians beat the Proteas by 184 runs yesterday .. with first-innings century-maker
MIKE HUSSEY named man of the match.



NBL (SYDNEY)

Round 18 of the National Basketball League continues today with the New Zealand Breakers
hosting Hunter .. Adelaide at home to West Sydney .. and Townsville taking on Perth in
Townsville.

Last night .. Cairns out-muscled Perth 93-88.

Wollongong humiliated Brisbane 136-97 .. with CORTEZ GROVES shooting 31 points.

And the Sydney Kings became the first NBL side to win 20 matches in four successive
seasons when they accounted for West Sydney 109-92.



ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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