AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Aug 2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-02-2008
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Aug 2
EVENING ROUND-UP: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1630


QANTAS (SYDNEY)

A Qantas international flight bound for Manila has made an emergency landing at Sydney airport.

Air Services Australia says the pilot was forced to turn back to Sydney shortly taking
off from Sydney's international airport.

A spokesman says air traffic controllers received a call from the pilot .. declaring
an emergency .. and proceeded to give priority clearance for a landing at Sydney.

The spokesman says the flight landed safely about 3pm (AEST) and passengers and crew are fine.

Sky News .. quoting Macquarie News .. reported the plane involved is believed to have
been a Boeing 747 .. but there's been no official confirmation.

The incident comes a week after an explosion blew a hole in a Qantas jet flying from
Hong Kong to Melbourne .. forcing the plane to make an emergency landing in Manila.

Qantas was yesterday completing checks on oxygen bottles on its fleet of Boeing 747s.



OLY08 WRAP (BEIJING)

KEVIN RUDD will give Australia's athletes a pep-talk ahead of the Olympic opening on August 8.

Australian Olympic Committee chef de mission JOHN COATES says it's very important for
the team because the Prime Minister will be able to convey the nation's goodwill to them.

Mr RUDD'S visit will be the first time an incumbent prime minister has attended an
overseas Olympic Games since 1976.

And .. Australia's Olympic athletes now in Beijing .. have woken up to clear blue skies
over the Chinese capital .. with Australian Olympic Committee boss JOHN COATES praising
the good weather.

Meanwhile .. Olympic officials are trawling through every website blocked in China
.. to check whether they should be accessible to journalists during the Beijing Games.

KEVAN GOSPER .. who's a member of the Australian International Olympic Committee and
head of the press commission .. says a working party will make sure journalists can report
on Games-related issues in China.

Elsewhere .. Singapore Airlines has started a special daily Olympic service from the
city state to Beijing .. using the Airbus A380 superjumbo .. the world's biggest passenger
aircraft.



GREECE TOURIST (ATHENS)

The father of the Australian tourist who died after a clash with nightclub bouncers
in Greece .. says he and his family are now tied to the country.

DOUJON ZAMMIT .. from Sydney .. had his life support machine switched off in an Athens
hospital yesterday .. after suffering serious head injuries in the assault on Tuesday
on the island of Mykonos.

The 20-year old's family have decided to donate his organs .. with his heart going
to an Australian national currently hospitalised in Athens' Onassis Cardiac Surgery Centre.



ALMASRI IMMIGRATION (CANBERRA)

The Immigration Department is conducting an investigation into the reported death of
a Palestinian refugee who was previously denied a visa to stay in Australia.

But a spokesman says the department can't be responsible for every deportee who's spent
time in Australia.

Refugee advocates say AKRAM AL MASRI was killed two days ago in the Gaza Strip.

In 2002 the Federal Court ordered AL MASRI be released from immigration detention ..

ruling the federal government didn't have the right to detain him ahead of his deportation
.. despite his having been denied a temporary protection visa.

He left Australia a short time later.



LIBERAL NSW HOWARD (SYDNEY)

Former prime minister JOHN HOWARD says the Australian economy would be in a much worse
state if it wasn't for the coalition's time in office.

He's told a special meeting of the NSW Division of the Liberal Party in Sydney .. where
he's been inducted as a life member of the party .. that the current credit squeeze would
have been heightened if the Coalition hadn't left the Rudd government a legacy of huge
budget surpluses.

Mr HOWARD says Prime Minister KEVIN RUDD is now stating the fundamentals of the Australian
economy are strong .. but isn't reminding Australians the economic strength is attributable
to the coalition government.



LIBERAL NSW NELSON (SYDNEY)

Federal Opposition leader BRENDAN NELSON says he has no plans to speak with PETER COSTELLO
this weekend .. to sound out the former treasurer's potential leadership aspirations.

Mr COSTELLO returns today from a family holiday in the Pacific amid speculation Dr
NELSON will face an imminent leadership challenge.

Dr NELSON says he's confident he retains the full support of his party.

Mr COSTELLO's yet to state whether he intends to retire from federal politics.



SOLAR COUNCIL (CANBERRA)

The Clean Energy Council says government figures on solar panel rebate take-up show
that the industry's moving from strength to strength.

Environment Minister PETER GARRETT said today that an average of 522 applications have
been lodged weekly since the federal budget announcement of the eight thousand dollar
rebate.

CEC spokesman ROB JACKSON has welcomed the release of the rebate information .. saying
it will be critical in enabling the solar PV industry to plan for future demand and jobs
growth.



LYNE NATS (CANBERRA)

The Nationals have named former Port Macquarie mayor ROB DREW as their candidate for
the NSW seat of Lyne .. left vacant with the resignation of former party leader MARK VAILE.

Nationals leader WARREN TRUSS says Mr DREW will run a campaign on local issues .. working
to secure local jobs .. increase roads and health funding .. and hold the Rudd government
to account.



US SHOOTING (NIAGARA)

A gunman suspected of opening fire on a group of young swimmers gathered along a US
riverbank has been arrested .. after he emerged from woods near the scene where three
teenagers were slain and a fourth person wounded.

SCOTT J. JOHNSON was dressed in camouflage when deputies confronted him following an
all-night manhunt in Wisconsin.

Nine young adults had gathered at a railroad bridge to go swimming when the gunman
appeared yesterday afternoon and opened fire .. killing a 17 .. 18 and 19-year-old.

Investigators have not determined a motive .. saying there was no communication between
the gunman and his victims.



BRIEFLY IN OTHER NEWS . . .




A law firm being sued for the alleged commercial exploitation of legendary cricketer
Sir DONALD BRADMAN'S name says it will defend the action.




The Queensland Government may buy some .. but not all .. homes stuck in a subsidence
zone in the state's south-east.




SHIA LABEOUF's lawyer says the actor faces a long road to recovery from the accident
that crushed his hand.



IN SPORT . . .


OLY08 HOC WOMEN (BEIJING)

Australia's Hockeyroos have suffered a huge blow in their pre-Games warm-up event against
Argentina with rookie FIONA JOHNSON tearing her left hamstring in the 2-all draw.

JOHNSON'S injury is a blow to the Hockeyroos who otherwise looked impressive against
the world No.2 ranked Argentinians in the warm up clash at the Beijing Olympic Green Hockey
Stadium.



GOLF WGC (AKRON, Ohio)

Australians PETER LONARD and STUART APPLEBY are right in the hunt after the second
round at the Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio.

Fiji's VIJAY SINGH is the halfway leader after carding a four-under 66 in ideal conditions
at the World Golf Championships event.



TENNIS MASTERS (Cincinnati, Ohio)

RAFAEL NADAL will replace ROGER FEDERER as the the world's number-one ranked tennis
player in just over a fortnight.

NADAL secured the top spot after beating NICOLAS LAPENTTI 7-6 (7-3) 6-1 in their quarter-final
match at the Cincinnati Masters.



TENNIS SHARAPOVA (LOS ANGELES)

MARIA SHARAPOVA has pulled out of this month's US Open because of a shoulder injury.



ENDS EVENING ROUND-UP


Broadcast Desk inquiries 24 hours: 02 9322 8714


AAP RTV wz

KEYWORD: EVENING ROUND-UP

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.