NO, NOT THE OIL! #163 (3/4)
R Kym Horsell
Johannesburg (AP). The US is scaling up its military presence in
Africa as concern mounts over terrorist threats -- both immediate and
future -- on the continent, the deputy head of American forces in
Europe said Fri.
"The threat is not weakening, it is growing," Air Force Gen Charles
Wald said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press from
Luanda, Angola. "We can't just sit back and let it grow."
The focus on Africa is part of major restructuring as US forces in
Europe reposition for the war against terror.
The European Command oversees US military activities in Africa
excluding the Horn, site of a US counterterrorism effort for NE Africa
and Yemen.
Africa is a growing strategic interest to the US because of its terror
links and its oil, which is seen as a possible alternative to Middle E fuel.
European Command is not looking to station large concentrations of
troops on the continent, Wald said. But it intends to make its
presence felt through joint exercises, training initiatives and other
exchanges.
US forces have also negotiated access to a number of sites, including
air strips in Angola and Gabon, that can be used for stopovers,
refuelling, or to position troops and equipment.
Wald said this will allow US forces to respond with light, mobile
troops -- whether for peacekeeping, crisis response or a specific
terrorist threat.
"We're actually going to get more capability with less force because
of our ability to move around fast," he said.
Key to the effort is supporting the development of regional security
groups, improving the capabilities of African police and soldiers, and
building relationships with govts and militaries, Wald said.
Wald is one of at least 3 top US cmdrs to touch down in Africa in the
past 2 wk, following the US cmdr in Europe, Marine Gen James
L. Jones. And Wald said he expects to be back about every 3 m.
Wald's trip includes stops in regional military powers Nigeria and
South Africa; oil-rich Angola, Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe; and
Algeria and Niger, whose vast desert expanses are seen as a potential
haven for terrorists.
At the same time, US Air Force Maj Gen Jeffrey Kohler, the European
Command's point man on planning for force reconfiguration, has been
visiting the Saharan nations of Mauritania, Mali and Niger.
The 3 generals are leaders in proposals awaiting a decision in
Washington to shift from Cold War-era troop buildups in W Europe to
smaller concentrations closer to the world's trouble spots.
"We are going to do business differently," Wald said. "Waiting for a
crisis to occur just isn't the way to do business any more."
The general said there were specific terrorist threats in Africa at
the moment, which he declined to characterise. But the US is also
convinced there will be more threats in the future.
"Nothing is really immune, particularly areas that traditionally have
weak govt or an inability to control their territory," Wald said.
The al-Qaeda terror network has already staged deadly attacks in East
Africa, bombing US Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998, and a
Kenyan hotel in 2002.
Western military and security officials also worry about possible
terrorist activity along ancient Sahara trading routes linking Arab
and African nations.
They suspect terror groups have already set up training camps in the
remote deserts of Mali and Niger.
Of particular concern is the Algeria-based Salafist Group for Call and
Combat, which allegedly has ties to al-Qaeda. The group was blamed in
the kidnapping of 32 European tourists in the Sahara last year.
The US is helping train and equip 4 Sahara nations -- Mali, Niger,
Mauritania and Chad -- to better guard their porous borders against
terrorists, arms and other trafficking.
There are also agreements to conduct exercises and training in
Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco, Wald said.
Further south, the US wants to protect oil supplies in the Gulf of
Guinea, where it gets 15% of its oil.
There is also concern that Africa's major humanitarian crises could
develop into security threats for the US and Europe.
Wald singled out AIDS, which is cutting a swath through many of the
continent's armies. The European command supports a pioneering
treatment program run by S African military health services.
Africa, with its grinding poverty, spiralling conflicts and disenchanted
youth, is also a recruiting ground for terrorists, Wald said.
"Africa, we all know, has to work itself out of this situation, which
is going to take time," he said. "In the meantime, we have to respond
to some specific threats."
Chavez denounces Bush as foes fight troops
Caracas (Reuters). Venezuelan Pres Hugo Chavez called Pres Bush an
"***hole" on Sun for meddling, and vowed never to quit office like his
Haitian counterpart as troops battled with opp'n protesters demanding
a recall referendum against him.
Chavez, who often says the US is backing opp'n efforts to topple his
leftist govt, accused Bush of heeding advice from "imperialist" aides
to support a brief 2002 coup against him.
"He was an ***hole to believe them," Chavez roared at a huge rally of
supporters in Caracas.
The Venezuelan leader's comments came as fresh violence broke out on
the streets of the capital, where Nat'l Guard troops clashed with
opp'n protesters pressing for a vote to end his 5-y rule.
Military helicopters roared in low runs overhead as soldiers fired
tear gas and plastic bullets to repel several hundred opp'n
demonstrators who threw stones and set up burning barricades in E
Caracas late into the night.
Troops and opp'n activists also skirmished in other cities.
"We call on the country to continue with peaceful resistance," opp'n
leader Enrique Mendoza said. "This fight will last as long as necessary."
A soldier and a cameraman were shot and injured during the clashes and
an opp'n protester was wounded in the head by gunmen firing from
motorbikes, witnesses and officials said.
Electoral authorities, citing the need to preserve peace in the
country, said they were postponing until Mon the preliminary results
of their verification of the opp'n's petition for a recall vote.
One demonstrator carried a banner reading: "Bye bye Aristide, Chavez
you're next," referring to Haiti's leader Jean-Bertrand Aristide, who
fled into exile on Sun in the face of an armed rebellion.
* TENSIONS AHEAD OF POLL RULING
But the firebrand populist vowed to defeat any attempt to unseat him
and threatened to cut off oil supplies to the US from the world's No 5
crude oil exporter should Washington try an invasion or trade sanctions.
"Venezuela is not Haiti and Chavez is not Aristide," he said.
Tens of 1000s of Chavez supporters marched earlier on Sun to protest
what they condemned as US meddling in Venezuelan affairs.
The State Dept routinely dismisses the president's accusations.
The referendum campaign is the latest political fight for Chavez, who
survived the short-lived 2002 coup and a strike last y by opponents
who fear his self-styled "revolution" is slowly turning Venezuela into
a Cuban-style communist state.
Since his 1st election in 1998, the president has vowed to improve the
lives of the impoverished who see little of the country's oil wealth.
But his opponents say he has failed and has instead pushed the country
into economic ruin.
Political tensions have flared again recently as setbacks delayed a
ruling by the Nat'l Electoral Council on whether to allow the recall
referendum to go forward. 2 protesters were shot and killed on Fri
during an opp'n march.
The Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Carter Center, which
are observing the referendum process, appealed for calm on Sun ahead
of the council decision.
Electoral authorities said they would make a preliminary ruling Mon on
whether the opp'n collected the minimum 2.4 mn valid signatures
required for a vote. The opp'n says it handed over 3.4 mn signatures.
Opp'n leaders accuse pro-govt officials in the electoral council of
trying to block the poll by disqualifying many valid signatures. Chavez
says his opponents' petition is riddled with forgeries.
High schools skip over basics in rush to college classes
Op/Ed (USA Today). In high schools, the fastest-growing courses
offered are Advanced Placement classes, which give students a chance
to earn college credit. Increasingly, students and their parents see
these academically challenging courses as an admission ticket to the
nation's top colleges. In the past 10 y, the number of students taking
AP exams has risen from 400,000 to more than 1 mn.
In college, however, the fastest-growing courses are remedial math and
English classes. The courses are for students who need to make up for
basics they didn't learn in high school. In the California State
University system, for example, 37% of incoming freshmen last fall
needed to take remedial math and 48% remedial English.
Nationwide, 53% of college students take at least one remedial course.
In other words, high schools are taking on colleges' work while
colleges are forced to do the high schools' job. Obviously, something
is wrong with this picture.
The warped system puts a financial burden on students and colleges.
Remedial courses cost colleges about $2 bn a year, according to the
Institute for Higher Education Policy. And students must pay tuition
for the courses, which offer no college credit.
The problem stems from the failure of high schools to ensure that
students are prepared for the academic challenges of college. While AP
classes are a proven success at exposing high school students to
challenging college-level material, only 15% of students take them,
while more than 70% of high school graduates go on to college.
In fact, the value of a high school diploma has plummeted, according
to a report this m by Achieve, a non-profit education-reform group,
and 2 other like-minded organisations. Poor preparation is the main
reason why fewer than half of those entering college graduate, the
report concludes.
Universities and students are not the only ones paying for high
schools' failings. A Michigan study estimated that employers in that
state pay about $40 mn a y for the remedial training of the students
they hire right out of high school. In surveys, 60% of employers give
low ratings to the writing and math skills of new hires.
Helping all students prepare for college or work requires more than AP
courses:
Strict graduation requirements. Most states have vague requirements,
such as 3 y of math, without specifying which courses. That allows
students to take simple math courses that don't teach the algebra,
geometry and higher-level skills needed after graduation.
Mandating specific courses -- and ensuring their mastery through exams
required for graduation -- could sharpen students' skills.
High school-college coordination. A promising experiment unfolds this
y in the California State University system. Officials will start
using students' performance on the state's 11th-grade tests to determine
who needs remedial classes in college. The change will help ensure
that skills taught, and tested for, in high school are linked to the
knowledge needed in college.
Many high school principals and superintendents say they stress AP
courses to motivate all students. In the process, though, they overlook
the fact that many students can't even handle high school-level work.
Before rushing to take over colleges' job, high schools have a more
pressing task: providing students the basic skills needed for the
challenges beyond high school.
* * *
Among public schools with Internet access, almost all (94%) have
high-speed Internet access, also known as broadband.
Schroeder faces catastrophe after party's worst defeat
Berlin (Independent). Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's ruling Social
Democrats suffered a crushing defeat last night in Hamburg's state
elections which were considered a crucial test of his govt's programme
to reform Germany's economy.
First poll results gave an absolute majority to Hamburg's conservative
Christian Democrats (CDU), who won 46.5% of the vote against 31.4%
for Mr Schroeder's Social Democrats party (SPD), whose performance was
the worst in the city since the Second World War.
Jubilant conservatives, who had focused their campaign on the city's
popular gay mayor, Ole von Beust, described their victory as a slap in
the face for the Chancellor and his policies. Dirk Fischer, a rep for
the Hamburg CDU, said: "It is a dream come true and it represents a
huge vote of support for the opp'n conservatives in Berlin." The CDU
upped its share of the vote by a record 20% in the election.
Laurenz Meyer, the conservatives' general secretary in Berlin, said:
"The nat'l implication of this victory is that the CDU can now win
everywhere in Germany."
The CDU's sister party in Bavaria was more scathing. Marks Soeder, the
party's general secretary, said: "This is an absolute catastrophe for
the SPD. It shows that the people no longer want this govt."
Hamburg's SPD blamed Mr Schroeder's govt for its humiliation. Ingo
Egloff, the party's rep, said: "We tried to get our message across,
but in the end we failed. Berlin did not exactly give us a following wind."
Franz Muntefering, the Social Democrat party leader designate,
admitted that the Berlin govt was partly to blame: "I fully accept
that we have made mistakes in explaining our reform agenda. We shall
try to turn things round over the coming weeks."
The Hamburg poll was the 1st of 14 municipal, state, and European
elections due in Germany over the next 12 m and it set a dangerous
trend for Mr Schroeder's party in reflecting the widespread unpopularity
of his reform agenda. Recent nat'l opinion polls have given the SPD
only about 25% of the vote compared with 45% for the opp'n conservatives.
The Chancellor's controversial Agenda 2010 programme, ratified last y,
is an attempt to kick start the German economy and reduce the
country's 4.5 mn unemployment burden by cutting welfare benefits and
easing restrictions on companies. But Agenda 2010 has so far met with
opp'n from mn of voters, trade unionists and left-wing Social
Democrats who have interpreted it as an unjustified attack on living
standards. More than 60,000 SPD members quit the party last y in
protest against the reform package.
By contrast, business leaders have complained that the programme does
not go far enough in easing restrictions on German industry.
Mr Schroeder stepped down as SPD leader last m.
Zurich world's best city for expats
London. The Swiss cities of Zurich and Geneva have topped an urban
quality of life survey published today, with SYD and Auckland in the
top 10. The war-battered Iraqi capital of Baghdad ranks last in the
survey of 215 cities around the world. Vancouver, Canada, and Vienna,
Austrua, have tied for 3rd place in the survey by Mercer Human
Resource Consulting. The ratings are based on economic and environmental
factors, health, education, transport and safety. They list is intended
as a guide ti life for expatriates rather than for local residents.
Hunger striker calls for recognition of indigenous culture
Brisbane. Bris busker Adrian McAvoy, known as Burragubba, says he's
prepared to starve himself to death to highlight the need for
indigenous culture to be recognised. Mr McAvoy has started a hunger
strike in Brisbane's Queen ST Mall, sitting on animal skins in an area
baked by the Qld sun, to back demands for the city council and the
state govt to set up a centre for Aboriginal culture. He says he
decided on the hunger strike after being told by a Bris City Council
manager that he could no longer sing or chant in the mall, despite
having a permit.
ONA should not be abolished: Howard
["No, not the briar patch, brer fox!"]
Canberra (AAP). PM John Howard said the Office of Nat'l Assessments
should not be abolished ahead of the release of a report on pre-war
intel by AUS spy agencies.
The govt is widely expected to be cleared by the committee of sexing
up pre-war intel on Iraq.
The committee is expected to unanimously back another inquiry into how
AUS's various intel authorities managed to get so much wrong about
Iraq's WMD program.
Mr Howard said the govt would respond once the report was tabled in
parliament.
He said he would not speculate what the govt's response would be, but
rejected any suggestion ONA should be abolished.
"There will be a response made on behalf of the govt but I'm not going
to speculate what that response might be until the committee's report
is tabled," Mr Howard told a press conference.
"I don't think ONA should be abolished. I think it is an absurd proposition.
"And let me say that I have a great deal of respect for, and
confidence in, ONA.
"I certainly will not be joining any attempt to darken the reputation
of ONA. I will be doing the reverse. I think ONA is a good organisation.
"The question of whether there may or may not to be changes in that
organisation is no different from the question of whether there may or
may not need to be changes in a lot of organisations."
He said he had not seen anything to suggest that the model for the ONA
was in any way deficient compared to similar agencies in Brit.
"I'm not arguing for anything at present," Mr Howard said.
"I have a lot of respect for Kim Jones, the former director-general
who served in that position in that more active time, given the events
that have transpired since Mr Jones took over."
The AUS Democrats said the govt's signal that a new inquiry need not
report before the next election was ridiculous.
For Min Alexander Downer said the search for weapons in Iraq should be
completed before any new inquiry is established.
Sen Bartlett said Iraq's WMD could become a repeat of the
children-overboard controversy when it became clear after the 2001
election that the govt had misled the public about whether asylum
seekers had thrown children into the sea.
"The Democrats believe the foreign minister's suggestion that we
should perhaps wait until they finish looking for the weapons before
we have a proper inquiry is simply ridiculous," Sen Bartlett told reporters.
"This govt didn't think we needed to wait until the weapons inspectors
team had done their job before going into war against Iraq and yet it
wants us to wait now before they have a proper inquiry."
PM defends spy agency ahead of report
Canberra. PM John Howard has strongly defended AUS's Office of the
Nat'l Assessments (ONA), which is expected to be criticised in a
parliamentary committee report due for release today.
The report will focus on the intel the Govt used to justify going to
war in Iraq.
The contents of the report have been widely leaked. It is expected to
criticise the judgements of the ONA, the intel agency which directly
advises the PM, and to recommend another inquiry into the matter.
Mr Howard has had a copy of the report for wk but in his only comment
ahead of its release, he has offered his strong support for the ONA.
"I have a lot of confidence in the ONA and I won't be joining any
attempt to darken its reputation," he said.
Mr Howard has declined to say yet whether the Govt will support an
independent investigation into the pre-war intel on Iraq, although For
Min Alexander Downer has said he is inclined to back another inquiry
if the committee recommends that.
"We would like the inquiry to take place when everything is over and
done with," Mr Downer said.
"The Iraq Survey Group is still on the ground in Iraq -- they're still
talking to people and examining this whole question of weapons of mass
destruction. That work isn't finished," he said.
* Unacceptable
Fed Opp'n foreign affairs rep Kevin Rudd says that is unacceptable.
"What we have in effect is Mr Downer sending up a very big signal that
'we, the Howard Govt don't want any independent scrutiny of our
decision to take this country to war until well after the next
election'," Mr Rudd said.
AUS Democrats leader Andrew Bartlett says momentum is building for an
independent inquiry.
Sen Bartlett says the parliamentary committee did not have the powers
to look into the matter properly.
He says a judicial inquiry, with the power to protect whistle blowers,
needs to be held before the next election.
"The UK has had a number of inquiries -- parliamentary and judicial,"
he said. "The US has had congressional and judicial inquiries.
"AUS has been sold short in relation to that and on something as
important as this issue the AUS public deserve the truth."
The report will be tabled in Parliament today.
Vic teachers threaten weekly strikes
Melbourne. The education union says Vic schools will endure weekly
strikes if the State Govt does not offer a better deal for teachers.
Negotiations between the State Govt and the education union have
stalled, with the Govt standing firm on a 9% pay rise over 3 ys. But
teachers want a 30% rise and will hold a statewide strike on Wed. Vic
Education Min Lynne Kosky says it is an ambit claim. "I'm only
willing to have last-minute negotiations with the union if they're
prepared to take the 30% call for wages off the table," Ms Kosky said.
The education union expects up to 25,000 teachers to walk off the job
on Wed with most of the state's 1,600 schools to be affected in some
way. Union president Mary Bluett says if negotiations do not
progress, there will be more industrial action. "The recommendation
for is for rolling half-day regional stoppages right throughout term
2," Ms Bluett said. Teachers will also consider another statewide
strike in term 3.
Latest snapshot shows little change in agriculture
Canberra. The latest snapshot of agriculture shows very little has
changed in the latest edition of the annual yearbook produced by the
AUS Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The yearbook records different
aspects of AUS life, from population to the economy and its various
industries. There are not many changes to the quantity and value of
agriculture production. The ABS says it is because most of the data
was collected in 2001 to 2002, before the drought severely hit most of
AUS. Cattle and sheep continue to be the main livestock grown. Wheat
remains the most common crop grown, but there has been a marked
increase in the amount of cotton and canola produced. The average age
of the AUS farmer is still slowly rising, and employment in
agricultural industries is gradually falling. Director of
Agriculture, Mining and Manufacturing with the ABS, Alan Nichols, says
agriculture still provides around 6% of AUS's overall income. "The
gross value of commodities produced for example in 2001/2 is nearly 40
bn dollars, which is a significant contribution to AUS's economy," he said.
Golden Circle tips prickly time for pineapple industry
Brisbane. AUS's largest grower-owned fruit and vegetable processor
has posted a loss of more than $30 mn. Bris-based Golden Circle has
foreshadowed major rationalisation in the pineapple industry in the
wake of its result. Golden Circle has posted a net after-tax loss of
$31.1 mn for the 2003 calendar year. Chief executive Robin Ferris
attributes the loss to ongoing drought in Qld's pineapple growing
regions and to a write-down of assets, such as the goodwill of
offshoot The Original Juice Company. In light of the disastrous
results, the company is now calling for complete rationalisation of
the AUS pineapple industry to enable them to compete in domestic and
internat'l markets. At this stage, the company does not expect to pay
a dividend to shareholders until at least 2005.
Sugar growers sign off regulation changes
Brisbane. Struggling Qld sugar growers have today agreed to industry
regulatory changes as proposed by the State Govt. Cane growers
chairman Jim Pedersen says the marketing of sugar -- known as the
'single desk' selling arrangement -- has been retained without
affecting the industry's ability to value-add and diversify. A number
of other key sticking points have also been endorsed. Prem Peter
Beattie says it is a milestone for the industry. "If these reforms
hadn't gone ahead the sugar industry would have been in absolute
turmoil," Mr Beattie said. "This is new chance a fresh beginning a
new life a new opportunity but that doesn't mean it'll be easy."
Manufacturing activity down
Canberra (ABC, Adrian Thirsk). The climbing AUD is being blamed for a
sharp downturn in a monthly measure of manufacturing activity.
The Performance of Manufacturing Index (PMI) published by the AUS
Industry Group (AIG) and PriceWaterhouseCoopers is the weakest it has
been in 6 m.
The PMI measure has dropped 5.8 points in Feb to just 51 points, only
just above the 50 level, which denotes expansion.
2 of the component measures -- production and employment, have slipped
below 50, indicating a slight contraction.
The AIG describes the results as a "wake-up call" for anyone believing
sustained economic growth is guaranteed.
AIG chief executive Heather Ridout says the rise in the value of the
dollar has been the key factor in the index's drop, with an additional
impact from higher interest rates and some slowing in demand.
"The key issue is that the currency is having a major negative effect
on activity," Ms Ridout said.
"One-third of the respondents to this survey indicated that, and when
you look at the fact that it's combined with weaker housing, weaker
investment and benign inflation, the case for interest rates rises has
all but disappeared at the present time."
It says the outcome reflects the impact of the stronger AUD on
manufacturing and to a lesser extent, higher interest rates and some
slowing in demand.
It has urged a steady hand on interest rates at tomorrow's Reserve
Bank board meeting.
Market economists are divided on whether the bank is likely to raise
interest rates any further just yet.
Bureau issues warning for Gulf country
Brisbane. The weather bureau has issued a gale warning on a monsoonal
low in the Gulf of Carpentaria. It says the low is moving westward
toward the NT but should not develop into a cyclone. The bureau
expects heavy rain and strong winds to lash Qld's Gulf country over
the next 24 hr before the low reaches the border. Wind gusts around
25 or 30 kts are expected.
Monty batters WA coast
Karratha, WA. Severe tropical Cyclone Monty is lashing the Pilbara
region of W AUS and dumping heavy rain.
Residents have been told to batten down loose objects and take shelter
in anticipation of the category 4 cyclone, which is expected to cross
the coast nr Onslow today.
In the past 24 hr, Karratha has recorded almost 100 millimetres of rain.
Chevron-Texaco has closed operations at Barrow Island, which is
expected to hit by winds of up to 240 kph.
The effects of the cyclone are also being felt at Onslow, with
resident Laura Shannon saying the wind is picking up speed.
"The town is well prepared, people have got their storm shutters on,
the SES are right on the ball going around and the police have been
very active keeping an eye on anyone who might require assistance," Ms
Shannon said.
* Warning
The Bureau of Meteorology advises that a cyclone warning is current for
coastal areas between Roebourne and Exmouth, while a cyclone watch extends
south to Coral Bay and includes adjacent inland parts of the W Pilbara.
At 8.00 am (AWST), Monty was estimated to be 170 km west-NW of
Karratha and 160 km N of Onslow, and was moving south-SE at 6 kph.
The bureau says that gales with gusts to 125 kph are likely in
coastal communities between Roebourne and Onslow, extending to Exmouth
during the day.
Very destructive winds with gusts to 240 kph are likely to
develop at Barrow Island this morning and in the vicinity of Onslow
during the day.
Residents of Onslow are specifically warned of the potential of a very
dangerous storm tide as the cyclone centre approaches the coast.
* Preparing for worst
State Emergency Service (SES) rep Peter Cameron in Broome says
authorities in Onslow are preparing for the worst.
"The local ... SES unit, along with police, have established or identified
a local evacuation centre -- being the hospital in Onslow," he said.
"They've advised the community that they need to prepare for an evacuation."
Joe Courtney from the Severe Weather Centre in Perth says Monty is
moving slowly down the coast and that poses its own dangers for
communities like Onslow.
"The longer it takes, the longer the duration of very destructive
winds along the coast and that certainly is a risk," he said.
Onslow resident Rob Lund says residents have started to batten down,
as the signs are ominous.
"It's been heavily overcast all day and with a lot of dust in the air
you can tell that there is one on the way," Mr Lund said.
"Everyone seems to [be] taking it to heart -- I think [Cyclone] Vance
is still fresh in everyone's memory."
Monty downgraded but still packing a punch
Melbourne. Tropical Cyclone Monty has been downgraded to a category 3
system as it approaches the Pilbara coast. The oil producing hub of
Barrow Island is being lashed by winds in excess of 200 kph,
while people living in low-lying areas of Onslow are being evacuated
to higher ground. Communities throughout the Pilbara have been
inundated and most major roads across the region are now closed.
Andrew Burton from the Bureau of Meteorology says the winds are
ferocious. "At the moment with the intensity as it is it's capable of
creating wind gusts of up to 240 km an hour," he said. Barrow Island
is on a red alert while communities from Mardie to Nanutarra remain on
yellow alert. Monty is expected to cross the coast nr Onslow later
today. Related Links Cyclone Monty track and threat map The Bureau of
Meteorology's map tracking Cyclone Monty. WA weather warnings WA
weather and warnings from the Bureau of Meteorology. Related Links
Cyclone Monty track and threat map The Bureau of Meteorology's map
tracking Cyclone Monty. WA weather warnings WA weather and warnings
from the Bureau of Meteorology.
NT, N Qld on cyclone watch
Melbourne. The weather bureau is monitoring another monsoon low in
the Gulf of Carpentaria but says it is not likely to impact directly
on Qld's Gulf communities. A cyclone watch has been issued for
coastal and island communities in the NT between Elcoho Island and
Port McArthur. The bureau says there is the possibility of a cyclone
developing but gales are not expected in coastal areas within the next
24 hr. Forecaster Brian Stephens says rain and storms are likely over
the next few days in Qld's Gulf, together with strong winds. "The
monsoon low is basically right in the centre of the Gulf at the
moment," he said. "We have got a strong wind warning within 100 nm,
the central pressure is about 1,000 at the moment -- it is moving slowly
W and is likely to go over N Territory land mass sometime on Tue."
PM "confident" over rebuilding of Solomons
Canberra. PM John Howard has expressed confidence in the rebuilding
of the Solomons Islands following Australia's intervention in the
troubled Pacific nation. Australia sent 1,500 defence, police and
civilian admins to the Solomons last y as part of a regional
assistance mission to help restore law and order and stamp out
corruption. Mr Howard has held talks with Solomons PM Sur Allan
Kemakeza today to discuss progress. He says they're both very
optimistic about the Solomons' future.
PM airs concerns over plan for Solomons workers in Aust
Canberra. PM John Howard says he has concerns about a proposal to
make it easier for residents of the Solomon Islands to work in AUS.
Mr Howard met today with his counterpart from the Solomons, Sir Allan
Kemakeza, to discuss the ongoing assistance mission to restore and
maintain law and order there. He says the mission has been very
successful and AUS will continue to support the Solomons while it is
working to tackle corruption and improve the standard of govt. But he
says making it easier for Solomons officials to work in AUS could
create a precedent and may not lead to better govt there. "I'm not
absolutely certain it would be in the long-term interests of the
Solomon Islands," he said. "Because it may well be that it becomes a
way by which people who are desperately needed in the Solomon Islands
in fact leave the country and that would be of concern to me and I
think long term to the govt of the Solomon Islands."
Military chiefs defend care for defence personnel
Canberra. AUS's defence force chiefs have defended the military
against claims some personnel have been abused and driven to suicide
by their experiences.
They are appearing before a Senate committee hearing in CBR.
Able Seaman Matthew John Liddell suffered post traumatic stress (PTS)
disorder after surviving the fire on board HMAS Westralia.
He was transferred back on board the ship and later committed suicide.
But Navy chief, Vice-Admiral Chris Ritchie, told the inquiry all
possible support was provided.
"I regret greatly that despite all the treatment and care that Able
Seaman Liddell received both during and after his Naval career he
committed suicide," he said.
Army Chief Peter Leahy told the inquiry that widespread claims of
abuse in the Defence Force were wrong.
"I fully knowledge, regret and abhor that individual and isolated
instances of harassment bullying and racism have occurred," he said.
Vice-Admiral Ritchie also denied that the Defence Force had failed to
investigate claims by a serving officer of an assault, saying both
military and civilian police found insufficient evidence.
Vice Admiral Ritchie says the Navy provided all appropriate support
for Able Seaman Liddell, even after his discharge from the Navy.
He says he understand's the family's distress but insists defence
takes suicide extremely seriously.
"As the frontline defence against suicide I'm strongly supportive of
the AUS Defence Force's mental health strategy and suicide prevention
plan," he said.
"We not only seek out the immediate triggers for suicide but we're
alert for the more subtle warning signs that not everything is right
with one of the naval family."
Military chiefs to front Senate committee hearing
Canberra. The mother of a 19-yo soldier who committed suicide after
allegedly enduring racial abuse from a Defence instructor is expected
to tell her story to a Senate committee hearing in CBR today.
The Chief of the Defence Force, Gen Peter Cosgrove and the heads of
the Army, Navy and Air Force will also appear before the committee's
1st public hearing.
The committee is examining a number of peacetime deaths in the
military, including that of 19-yo Damien Palmer.
His mother, Donna, wrote to the committee complaining that her son was
singled out for being an Aborigine and subjected to racist comments
before he committed suicide.
In another submission, it is claimed a survivor of the HMAS Westralia
fire 6 y ago killed himself after being sent back to the ship while
still suffering severe shock over the death of a friend.
The committee will put the allegations today to Gen Cosgrove and his
most snr officers.
More families are expected to give evidence next m and the committee
will report in May.
Military justice is sound: Cosgrove
Canberra (AAP). The AUS Defence Force (ADF) needed to better explain
that its military justice system was effective, AUS Defence chief Gen
Peter Cosgrove told a Senate inquiry.
But Gen Cosgrove told the inquiry into the effectiveness of military
justice that the system was effective, although it draws criticism.
"I accept that we need to better educate the parliament and the AUS
people with respect to the military justice system," he told the inquiry.
"I also accept that we need to continually improve our processes of
communications with those members of the public and those families
that have been directly affected by serious incidents, especially
where a member of the services has died or been seriously injured.
"The military justice system is sound, even if it has sometimes not
been applied as well as we would like.
"I have every confidence that on the whole, the military justice
system is effective and serves the interests of the nation, of the
defence force and its people.
"That confidence is born of my long experience in the service and
direct observation of the people who are responsible for and subject
to the military justice system.
"In the course of these hearings, you will undoubtedly hear criticisms
of the military justice system from people affected by it."
Study reveals hospital infections' long-term impact
Canberra. A new study has revealed the impact of hospital infections
is far greater than previously recognised. The AUS Nat'l University's
Anne Gardiner monitored the health of 200 hospital patients with
infections. The study shows hospital infections are primarily
acquired through bloodstream equipment such as intravenous drips. Dr
Gardiner says the study also found the impact of these infections can
be long-term. "The big message is that blood stream infections,
although they'd been thought of as short very acute infections that
people recover from quickly, that's not the case for everybody," Dr
Gardiner said. "There is a considerable number of people who stay
sick for a long time."
Govt lists new drugs on PBS
Canberra. The Fed govt says it expects to spend $28 mn over the next 4
y subsidising a drug for people with a rare lung condition. Health
Min Tony Abbott says the drug Tracleer, used to treat pulmonary
arterial hypertension, is now available on the PBS. The listing
follows a recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Advisory Committee in
Dec. [The Committee is reportedly these days dominated by reps from
drug makers]. In another one of his infamous one-point comparisons,
Mr Abbott says the average life expectancy for patients not receiving
treatment is less than 3 y.
Qld conservatives divided
Brisbane. Conservative parties will enter the new Qld parliament as
God intended -- as a divided political force -- after Coal'n
negotiations between the Nationals and the Liberals broke down today.
Issues of who will assume the deputy opp'n leadership and which party
will contest Gold Coast seats are the main stumbling blocks. But
there are plenty of others. Negotiations between the 2 unequal
conservative blocs began after the prev Coal'n agreement expired on
the eve of the Feb 7 poll.
Art theft victim "frustrated" with police
N NSW. An art restorer, who says he has lost 20 paintings in a
burglary including a Paul Cezanne, says police have wrecked his N NSW home.
John Opit says he returned home on Thu last wk to find paintings worth
$67 mn missing.
Police have spent the weekend scouring the home for evidence and say
they have taken some items away for examination.
Speaking from his home last night, Mr Opit expressed frustration with
the investigation.
"They've wrecked my whole place, they've bloody wrecked my tables,
they've examined this, examined that -- I hope by Mon they tell me who
it is otherwise are they worth their tuppence?" Mr Opit said.
Mr Opit says dubious art experts do not know what they are talking
about in disputing the painting's authenticity and says the previously
unknown painting was done in 1873, fairly early in the celebrated
painter's career.
He says the disputed painting, entitled Cezanne's son in a high chair,
bears the hallmarks of the artist.
"In one of the windows there's a cross with a square around it -- it's
like an anagram of his signature," Mr Opit said.
"If you look at the cross, it's not really a cross in a square, it's
cross in a sort of bent square, which when you look at it, it's his
name in monogram, Cezanne."
Hundreds of drunken youths riot after underage disco
Perth. WA police have been pelted with bottles during a riot in the
Perth beachside suburb of Trigg. Officers in riot gear were called to
a brawl in the car park of the Trigg Surf Lifesaving Club last night
after there were reportedly problems with an underage disco. The
crowd was dispersed but it then gathered at a nearby reserve causing
further trouble. It is the 2nd riot this weekend involving drunk and
unruly young people. 11 officers were injured during an out of
control party in Kalamunda on Fri night. Inspector Gary Kosovich says
officers in Trigg donned riot gear before heading to the reserve.
"Police were then confronted with several hundred young people who
were very intoxicated and out of control," he said. "We estimate the
crowd to be about 300 to 400 and it took considerable police resources
and again we were dealing with unruly drunken young people."
European roads hit by bad weather
Bordeaux. Heavy snowfalls and high winds hit parts of Europe over the
weekend, leaving about 5,000 trucks stranded in SW France. Goods
vehicles were backed up for 10 km on the motorway leading to the
Biriatou frontier post, which had been shut since Fri. Local
authorities say the crossing point re-opened late on Sun afternoon. 9
N Spanish regions have been placed on alert, but meteorologists say
conditions are expected to begin improving.
Markets
Sydney (close). The ASX surged to its highest level in nearly 2 y
today as market heavyweights BHP Billiton and Telstra as well as
insurance stocks all made substantial gains. At the close, the All
Ords added 17 pts to 3,390 -- its highest close in 20 m. The AUD is
trading around 77.45 US c. At one point it rose to 77.60 US c. The
big news is platinum -- it traded up 2% in the past 24 hrs. It's the
highest price for 23 y. Analysts say it's set to break $US900/oz. In
Japan the Nikkei soared 229 pts to end at 11,271. The Hang Seng
closed up 12 pts at 13,919.
{{
Midday.
At least 10 people have been killed as violence erupted following the
sudden resignation and departure into exile of Haitian president Jean
Betrand Aristide, according to witnesses.
Details of a big sharemarket float in the AUS resources sector has
been announced.
French troops are expected to leave for Haiti, just hrs after the
troubled Caribbean nation's president resigned and fled the country,
French officials said.
James Packer has joined the Qantas board as a non-executive director.
Panama says it is prepared to offer temporary refuge to Haitian Pres
Jean-Bertrand Aristide, after he fled his country following a bloody
revolt against his presidency.
SYD businessman Trevor Kennedy has begun legal action in the Fed Court
over investigations into his offshore share dealings.
Shares in the global mining heavyweight, BHP Billiton, have gained
around 1% in value with the company today confirming details of a big
iron ore contract with China.
The climbing AUD is being blamed for a sharp downturn in a monthly
measure of manufacturing activity.
The leader of Palestinian militia Islamic Jihad has vowed that the
coming days will be the blackest in Israel's history.
US Pres George W Bush has ordered the deployment of US Marines to
Haiti to serve as the "leading element" of an internat'l stability
force after Pres Jean-Bertrand Aristide resigned under American pressure.
Violence has erupted in downtown Port-au-Prince following the
departure of Pres Jean-Bertrand Aristide as 100s of his supporters
gathered outside the nat'l palace, witnesses said.
6.30 pm
A film commissioned by SBS TV has become its first win at the Academy
Awards. "Harvey Krumpet" took out the short animated prize.
CBR. A Senate committee has tabled its report into the flawed pre-war
intel used by the AUS govt to justify its involvement in Iraq.
Both sides of politics have claimed it backs their argument.
The report notes a change in tone of local intel assessments,
epically from the ONA that reports to the PM's office, in Sep 2003.
The Committee says they noticed a dramatic increase in the volume of
material between 12 and 13 Sep. They also say the tone of the material
became significantly more strident over that 24 hr period. The
Committee was not able to determine the reason for the change but it
came about the time the Blair "dossiers" were published in the UK.
The report says uncertainties were removed from intel assessments in
govt speeches and there were exaggeration of the available intel.
It was not so much a matter of Aussie intel agencies getting it wrong,
but the "spin" from their political masters.
The original intel assessments said Iraq possibly had "small stocks"
of WMD. But the Govt said Iraq definitely had "large stockpiles".
In Feb 2003 PM Howard was unequivocal about the Iraqi WMD threat. But
the Committee says that was not the picture that emerged from the intel
they had reviewed during their investigation.
The PM has repeatedly claimed govt speeches were checked by the ONA
when it came to statements about Iraqi WMD. But the report says the
ONA only checked that quotes made by snr mins were consistent with US
and Brit assessments. The agency could not check the claims were
actually true. In some key cases ONA officers disagreed with those
assessments.
Today the PM says the report contradicts the opposition's claims the
govt manipulated the intel.
None-the-less, he has ordered another -- independent -- inquiry into
the justification for GWII.
But it's likely to report after the up-coming election in Nov.
The AUD is trading around 77.45 US c. It rose to 77.60 at one point.
Platinum is up 2% -- its highest for 23 y. Analysts say it's set to
break $US900/oz. Oil and gold are higher.
9.30 pm
Turkmen in the N Iraqi city of Kirkuk are celebrating the decision of
the US-appointed Council to leave the city under Iraqi Federal
control. Kurds in N Iraq had called for the city to be ceded to them
in the interim Iraqi Constitution. Although the Const'n has now been
agreed, the future of Kirkuk is not clear.
In Karbalah, the commemoration of the assassination of imam Hussein
1,300 y ago has been marred by the killing of a bus driver. Polish
troops outside the city opened fire on a bus after it failed to stop
at a roadblock. The driver was killed and a number of passengers
injured. It turned out to be a busload of pilgrims. It's the first
celebration of Ashura for 25 y. Under the Saddam regime the Shi'ite
holiday was suppressed.
Former Pres J B Aristide has reportedly arrived in the CAR. It's not
clear whether this will be his final destination.
10.30 pm
Russian Pres V Putin has named the Russian EU envoy and former tax
chief as his new PM. Mikhail Fradkov was also Min of Trade under
Boris Yeltsin. Most Kremlin watchers see Putin's choice as a quiet
technocrat. The appointment will have to be approved by the State Duma.
11.30 pm
The AUS military has reportedly awarded a $100 mn contract to Boeing
to supply elint equipment to co-ordinate information from the nation's
military radar, satellite, ship-based and aircraft surveillance systems
to give one "big picture" of the regional tactical situation. I'm OK,
you're OK, SA!
}}
----------------------------------------
Tue, 02 Mar 2004.
INTERNATIONAL HEADLINES:
26 trapped in China mine explosion
Motorboat capsizes,20 feared dead
Quake kills 6, injures 2 in Turkey
Haiti peacekeeping mission begins
EU hits US goods with sanctions
Iraqi leaders agree on basic law
Protests hit Venezuela
Belgian paedophile trial begins
Israeli govt vows to finish barrier
Trade, Pacific issues to top agenda
Anger linked to higher stroke risk
Kerry increasingly confident: US
Lord of the Rings to boost tourism
D Worm spreading through e-mail
Most distant galaxy discovered
AUSSIE HEADLINES:
Commodity exports to climb 8%
US interests likely to fight FTA
Sugar industry to receive support
Air pollution a big killer
New benefits for veterans
Labor will reverse HECS fee hikes
NRMA warns stress causes crashes
Monty pounds the Pilbara
Reserve Bank to decide on rates
E-mails could bring down Blair
Cutprice airfares to boost tourism
Free bike plan for city centre: Vic
Vic Prem appeals to teachers
Pub bets under question
Australia represented at Oscars
Markets
NY. The Dow has soared 94 pts to 10,678 on good manufacturing and
jobs numbers. In London, the FTSE added 45 pts to end at 4,537. Gold
is trading at $US399.55/oz. Oil has hit post-GWII highs of $US36.85/bbl
after Venezuela threatened to cut off the supply to the US. The
Germany Dax added 36 pts to 4,054.
Bhubaneswar. 20 people are feared dead after a motorboat capsized in
eastern India. Police say the boat, packed with players and
spectators heading to a village cricket match, sank in the Mahanadi R.
Local Supt of police Dayan Gangwar says a teenage girl fishing nearby
used her own boat to rescue 4 people. 11 others swam to shore after
the accident in Pitapata district in the coastal state of Orissa. The
area is about 90 km NW of the state capital Bhubaneswar.
Ankara. A mild earthquake has toppled homes in Turkey's south, killing
at least 6 people and injuring 2 others. An Istanbul observatory says
the quake, measuring 3.8 on the Richter scale, struck the Adiyaman
province in the early hrs of this morning. Private CNN-Turk TV reports
that the quake topped some houses in villages near the town of Celikhan.
It says 2 injured people were pulled from the rubble. Quakes are
frequent in Turkey, which lies on the active North Anatolian fault.
Beijing. At least 2 workers have reportedly been killed and 26 trapped
after a gas explosion at a coal mine in N China. The state news agency
says the blast happened at the Jinshanpo colliery in Jiexiu city,
Shanxi province. 32 miners were underground at the time. China's
mining industry has an appalling safety record with the latest figures
showing almost 7,200 died in accidents in the first 10 ms of last y.
Port-au-Prince. US Marines and French troops have begun their
peacekeeping mission in volatile Haiti. Rebels have made a triumphant
entrance into the capital Port-au-Prince following the resignation and
flight into exile of Pres Jean Bertrand Aristide. More than 300
troops arrived overnight and early today and established a cmd centre
at the Haitian capital's international airport. Aristide's constitutional
successor, Supreme Court chief Boniface Alexandre, 68, has called for
an end to the violence that has left scores dead.
London. A security expert has warned of a new computer worm dubbed
Netsky-D which is clogging email systems around the world. The worm
is particularly difficult to root out because it lands in email boxes
using a number of different subject lines such as "re:details" or
"re:here is the document." The computer expert says the email arrives
with an attached program information file, or pif, which rapidly
replicates itself when opened, slowing down computers and email
systems. But, of course, only if you're silly enough to use Microsoft.
Baghdad. Iraqi leaders have drafted a basic law to govern the country
in its immediate future. In a major step towards winning back
sovereignty, the US-installed Governing Council has agreed on an
interim constitution for Iraq. The agreement overcomes deep rifts on
the thorny issues of the role of Islam, federalism and women's
representation. The law, to be signed Wed, is an important step in
clearing the way for a June 30 transfer of power from the US-led
coalition to an Iraqi interim authority.
Paris. French and Swiss astronomers say they have detected the
farthest galaxy ever seen. France's National Centre for Scientific
Research says the galaxy, dubbed Abell 1835 IR1916, is 13.23 bn LY
from Earth. That places it further away than another galaxy believed
until now to be the farthest known object. That galaxy, far smaller
than our own Milky Way, lies roughly 13 bn LY away. Its discovery was
announced in mid-Feb.
=== end 3/4 ===