FED:AAP backgrounders, analyses for Aug 13/14

AAP General News (Australia)
08-12-2011
FED:AAP backgrounders, analyses for Aug 13/14

AAP BACKGROUNDERS AND ANALYSES

For further information please contact Newseds on (02) 93228610/11.

SYDNEY - What is causing all the volatility in world financial markets, and what does
it mean for you? AAP Senior Correspondent Doug Conway looks for the answers, with the
help of AAP Economist Gary Shilson-Josling. (Economy Answers, AAP Newsfeature, 850 words,
sent Thursday)

CANBERRA - An analysis by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) back in April suggested
shocks in the US economy should no longer be a worry to Australia as it is now more tied
to Asia. Obviously, that theory needs some tweaking after the events of the past week
or so. (Economy, AAP Backgrounder, By Colin Brinsden, Economics Correspondent, 831 words,
sent Friday)

CANBERRA - Labor doesn't just need a gamechanger, it needs a pitch, a crowd of interested
spectators and an invitation to the match. (Newscope Federal, AAP Analysis, by Paul Osborne,
Senior Political Writer, 787 words, sent Thursday)

ADELAIDE, - South Australian Premier Mike Rann says he's relaxed about stepping down
in October. Just don't ask him about the person who leaked details of the deal to have
Education Minister Jay Weatherill replace him. (Rann, AAP Newsfeature, By Tim Dornin,
735 words, sent Thursday)

MELBOURNE - After witnessing Hitler's early atrocities, she vowed to fight him any
way she could. She fought so well, Nancy Wake ended up on top of the Gestapo's wanted
list, saved thousands of Allied lives, played a crucial role in D-Day and received France's
highest military honour. (Wake Obit, By Paul Mulvey, 1200 words. Sent Aug 8)



BRISBANE - Thousands of farm gates across Queensland and New South Wales bare a yellow
triangle with the words "lock the gate." (CSG, AAP Newsfeature, By Petrina Berry, about
1000 words, to come Friday)

SPORT

LONDON - Preview of the Aussies in the English Premier League new season due to kick
off this weekend. (Soc Aust EPL, AAP Sportsfeature, By Tom Wald, 647 words, sent Friday)

DURBAN - Cool-headed, single-minded skipper Rocky Elsom says only Wallabies victories
matter and he's unfazed by detractors calling for his head. (Tri Aust Elsom, AAP Sportsfeature,
By Darren Walton, 903 words, sent Friday).



ROUTINERS

* The Week (includes * Milestones * Quotes * Oddities)

* Checkup column

AAP bwl/nb

KEYWORD: NEWS REVIEW UPDATE

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Elderly people in nursing homes safe, Santoro

AAP General News (Australia)
02-21-2006
Fed: Elderly people in nursing homes safe, Santoro

CANBERRA, Feb 21 AAP - Minister for the Ageing Santo Santoro has moved to reassure
Australians that elderly people in nursing homes are well cared for, following the alleged
rape of a 98-year-old woman and other allegations of abuse in Victoria.

ABC TV's Lateline program last night reported the woman was raped on several occasions
in a Victorian nursing home and other elderly residents were sexually assaulted by the
same male staff member.

A man had since been charged by police.

A whistleblower nursing home carer told the program …

5.2 quake in northern QLD

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2011
5.2 quake in northern QLD

There's been a five-point-two magnitude earthquake in far northern Queensland with
its impact felt in Mackay and other towns.

The US Geological Survey says the quake happened at about half-past three this afternoon
.. and had its centre 120 kilometres southwest of Townsville .. ten kilometres below the
surface.

The ABC says there are no reports of damage so far.

AAP RTV wz

KEYWORD: QUAKE QLD

� 2011 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW:Men charged over drugs offences

AAP General News (Australia)
12-30-2010
NSW:Men charged over drugs offences

SYDNEY, Dec 30 AAP - Two men will face court after cash and drugs were found in their
car during a random breath test in NSW's central west.

A silver Holden Commodore sedan was stopped by police on Finley Road, Deniliquin on
Thursday afternoon.

A 34-year-old driver from Warners Bay and a 30-year-old passenger from Black Hill
were acting suspiciously, prompting police to search the car.

During the search, police seized over $125,000 cash and a small plastic resealable
bag containing a small quantity of amphetamine powder.

Both men were arrested and charged with a number of drug offences.

The men will appear at Deniliquin Local Court on February 22.

AAP lxs/jh

KEYWORD: CASH

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

POLL10 SENATE QLD

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-2010
POLL10 SENATE QLD

VOTES % SWING QUOTAS

----------------------------------
SOL 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
CA 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
FFP 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
SFP 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
ON 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
DEM 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
FST 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
SPA 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
TCS 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
CEC 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
LNQ 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
AFLP 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
SXP 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
GRN 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
SAL 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
ALP 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
LDP 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
DLP 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
CDP 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000
OTH 0 0.00 0.00 0.0000

FORMAL 0 0.00
INFORMAL 0 0.00
TOTAL 0 0.00

PROGRESSIVE QUOTA ( 0 )

KEYWORD: Senate State Summary - QLD. 2,719,746 enrolled. 0% counted.

� 2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic:Thousands wait longer than 24 hrs in emergency depts

AAP General News (Australia)
04-11-2010
Vic:Thousands wait longer than 24 hrs in emergency depts

Eds: reissuing to delete par 21 (ref to seeking comment)



By Melissa Jenkins

MELBOURNE, April 11 AAP - More than 2500 people spent longer than 24 hours waiting
in Victorian emergency departments for a hospital bed in the last financial year.

As Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Sunday offered $500 million to slash emergency department
waiting times to four hours, the Victorian opposition released figures showing that 2566
people waited more than a day for a bed.

The situation was worst at The Alfred in Melbourne's inner southeast, with 728 people
waiting in its emergency department for longer than 24 hours.

About 629 people waited longer than 24 hours in Western Health's Sunshine and Williamstown
hospitals, while 566 waited at Eastern Health's Maroondah, Angliss and Box Hill hospitals.

A total of 1,355,431 people attended Victorian emergency departments in the 12 months
to June 2009, according the most recent Your Hospitals report released by the state health
department.

Australian Medical Association Victoria president Harry Hemley said many people had
to wait extraordinary lengths of time to get a bed because hospitals were operating at
95 per cent capacity, instead of the recommended 85 per cent.

"In most cases, it will be to get a bed in the hospital. Sometimes it will be waiting
for emergency surgery and then from emergency surgery they have to go into a bed after
that," he said.

Dr Hemley said the $500 million offered would not solve bed block problems or reduce
24-hour waits.

"All it will do is, perhaps, increase the number of personnel and staff dealing with
patients. But if you can't get them out of emergency and into a hospital bed - that's
why they're waiting there 24 hours," he said.

Dr Hemley said the hospital beds shortage was due to decades of Commonwealth under-funding.

A state government spokeswoman said: "Last year, we provided $237.1 million over four
years to meet growth in emergency department demand and critical care services, and to
treat an additional 30,000 patients each year in emergency departments.

"More than half of all (emergency department) patients were seen by a doctor or nurse
in a Victorian hospital within 23 minutes of arrival compared to the national average
of 24 minutes.

"But we know that there is room for improvement. That's why Victoria has put forward
a plan to the Commonwealth to improve hospital care for patients."

State opposition health spokesman David Davis said the figures showed what he termed
Premier John Brumby's comprehensive failure to manage emergency departments in Victoria.

"He promised in 1999 to fix the Victorian hospital system and this is further evidence
that he has failed," Mr Davis told AAP.

"The long waits in emergency directly affect patient health outcomes."

The additional $500 million from the federal government hinges on the states and territories
signing up to the prime minister's $50 billion health reform plan at the April 19 Council
of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting.

While the states will welcome the cash, it is well short of what premiers have been demanding.

Mr Brumby wants an additional $1.2 billion a year for Victoria's hospitals and strongly
opposes Mr Rudd's proposal to strip 30 per cent of GST revenues from the states to directly
fund local hospital networks.

"It's a bit rich of John Brumby to lecture the federal government or indeed anyone
else given his patent failure to manage emergency departments," Mr Davis said.

Comment was being sought from the government.

In 2008-09, there were 409,094 more people treated in public hospital emergency departments
in Victorian than in 1999-2000 - a 43 per cent increase.

Under national benchmarks, category one patients (unconscious, barely breathing) must
be treated immediately, category two patients (severe pain, breathing difficulties, fractures)
must be seen within 10 minutes and category three patients (blood loss, persistent vomiting,
dehydration) must be treated seen within 30 minutes.

Category four patients (mild bleeding, abdominal pain) should be treated within one
hour and category five patients (minor illnesses) should be treated within two hours.

AAP mj/jhp/cdh

KEYWORD: HOSPITALS VIC (WITH FACTBOX) REISSUING

2010 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: New police recruits to graduate at Goulburn

AAP General News (Australia)
08-28-2009
NSW: New police recruits to graduate at Goulburn

SYDNEY, Aug 28 AAP - Three recruits from remote Aboriginal communities will be sworn
in at a NSW Police graduation ceremony on Friday, with Commissioner Andrew Scipione saying
each overcame "considerable personal hardship".

A total of 174 new recruits will be sworn at 11am (AEST) at the police college in Goulburn,
with NSW Police making much of their diverse backgrounds.

Many come from non-English speaking backgrounds or were born overseas, with 17 fluent
in a second language such as Arabic and Chinese.

Six also hail from a Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander background, with three
graduates of the Indigenous Police Recruitment Out West Delivery Program (IPROWD).

The IPROWD program was set up in 2008 by Western Region police and Western TAFE to
support potential recruits from remote Aboriginal communities.

It not only provides police training, but classes in numeracy and literacy, fitness
and health, and communication skills.

Mr Scipione was full of praise for the three IPROWD recruits - 20-year-olds Josh Scharkie
and Michael Stephenson, and Leroy Bates, 21.

"Some of the participants have overcome considerable hardship in their lives to participate
in the program," he said.

"Looking at the three young men attesting as police officers today, I see their pride
and admire their personal achievement."

New recruit Mr Scharkie said his goal was to one day become a detective.

"If you're thinking of joining the police force, then just do it," he urged others
living in remote communities.

"In IPROWD, you are in a group of people in the same situation as yourself and you're
supported throughout the whole experience."

Prior to the attestation ceremony, a memorial dedication will take place for police
dog Fidel at the college's Dog and Horse Memorial.

Fidel was impaled on a steel bollard while police investigated a break-and-enter at
Birchgrove Public School last October.

"Police Dog Fidel was only 19 months old when his life was cut short," Mr Scipione said.

"He played an integral role in supporting frontline police at the incident at Birchgrove
School, and the dedication today pays tribute to the sacrifice he has made."

Three police dogs, Monty, Abel and Dein, will also graduate at Friday's ceremony.

Of the 174 new recruits, 45 are women and 129 men.

And while the majority fall within the 18-30 age bracket, 10 are aged 36-40, while
nine are 41 or older.

On graduation most will be stationed across Sydney, but 36 will be posted to the north,
south or west of the state.

"Our new recruits bring energy and vigour to take the Force into the future," Mr Scipione said.

"Their experiences, background and skills, as well as their dreams and hopes, will
help them to achieve successful policing careers."

AAP ab/evt/cjb

KEYWORD: ACADEMY

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

Fed: Bill Collins to be inducted into Logies Hall of Fame

AAP General News (Australia)
04-20-2009
Fed: Bill Collins to be inducted into Logies Hall of Fame

Legendary Australian film critic BILL COLLINS will be inducted into the Hall of Fame
at this year's Logie Awards.

The 74 year old will be recognised for his contribution to the Australian television
industry at the event on May 3 in Melbourne.

COLLINS has been appearing on Australian TV screens for 46 years .. and says he feels
very honoured to be recognised.

He'll join previous inductees such as PAUL HOGAN and BERT NEWTON.

AAP RTV kaf/af

KEYWORD: LOGIES COLLINS (SYDNEY)

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

Vic

AAP General News (Australia)
12-15-2008
Vic:

=2
FRONTERS VIC 2 MELBOURNE

The Age:

Page 1: Father of two boys abducted to Sweden by their mother says the legal system
has let him down. TAC files relating to The Alfred's former trauma surgeon Thomas Kossmann
handed to Victoria Police. Government to hand $2 billion to business to sweeten greenhouse
emission plan.

Page 2: VCE students face nervous wait for results.

Page 3: Children celebrate as Sunshine pool re-opens. Taskforce finds alleged killer
had secret police dossier. Public transport in Melbourne most expensive in Australia.

Page 4: Restaurant goers shying away from Docklands eateries. No criminal charges against
Victoria Police after traffic policeman gunned down with his own gun in 2006.

Page 5: Farmers welcome rainfall.

Finance: Banks ready to back ailing Centro.

Sport: Furious Robert Allenby hits out at Aust Open organisers.

AAP jxt/gfr/maur

KEYWORD: Main stories in today's Melbourne newspaper

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

Bvo: Collated beach volleyball results

AAP General News (Australia)
08-10-2008
Bvo: Collated beach volleyball results

BEIJING, Aug 9 AFP - Collated beach volleyball results today:



MEN:

Group C

Ricardo/Emanuel (BRA) 2 - Fernandes/Morais (ANG) 0

Schacht/Slack (AUS) 2 - Geor/Gia (GEO) 0



Standings (Matches played, won, lost, points for, against, pts)

Brazil 1 1 0 2 0 2

Australia 1 1 0 2 0 2

Georgia 1 0 1 0 2 1

Angola 1 0 1 0 2 1



Group B

Samoilovs/Plavins (LAT) 2 - Rogers/Dalhausser (USA) 0

Heyer/Heuscher (SUI) 2 - Conde/Baracetti (ARG) 0



Standings

Switzerland 1 1 0 2 0 2

Latvia 1 1 0 2 0 2

United States 1 0 1 0 2 1

Argentina 1 0 1 0 2 1



Group E

Nummerdor/Schuil (NED) 2 - Laciga/M. Schinder (SUI) 0

Klemperer/Koreng (GER) 2 - Kjemperud/Skarlund (NOR) 1



Standings

Netherlands 1 1 0 2 0 2

Germany 1 1 0 2 1 2

Norway 1 0 1 1 2 1

Switzerland 1 0 1 0 2 1



WOMEN:



Group A

Maaseide/Glesnes (NOR) 2 - van Breedam/Mouha (BEL) 0

Tian Jia/Wang (CHN) 2 - Kuhn/Schwer (SUI) 0



Standings (Matches played, won, lost, points for, against, pts)

Group A

China 1 1 0 2 0 2

Norway 1 1 0 2 0 2

Belgium 1 0 1 0 2 1

Switzerland 1 0 1 0 2 1



Group C

Barnett/Cook (AUS) 2 - Uryadova/Shiryaeva (RUS) 1

Ana Paula/Larissa (BRA) 2 - Saka/Rtvelo (GEO) 1



Australia 1 1 0 2 1 2

Brazil 1 1 0 2 1 2

Georgia 1 0 1 1 2 1

Russia 1 0 1 1 2 1



Group E

Branagh/Youngs (USA) 2 - R. Kadijk/Mooren (NED) 0

Pohl/Rau (GER) 2 - Esteves Ribalta/M. Crespo (CUB) 0



Germany 1 1 0 2 0 2

United States 1 1 0 2 0 2

Netherlands 1 0 1 0 2 1

Cuba 1 0 1 0 2 1



AFP dd

KEYWORD: OLYR08 BVO COLLATED

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

Tas: Motorcyclist dies following crash

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2008
Tas: Motorcyclist dies following crash

HOBART, Feb 17 AAP - A man has died after losing control of his motorcycle in Tasmania's
north-east today.

The rider crashed in Main Street, Bridport, 70km north-east of Launceston, about 4.30pm
(AEDT) today.

The man later died.

No other vehicles were involved.

No further details are available at this stage.

AAP jrd/cdh

KEYWORD: TOLL TAS

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

Fed: Veggies better than fruit, cereal for preventing diabetes

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2007
Fed: Veggies better than fruit, cereal for preventing diabetes

By Tamara McLean, Medical Writer

SYDNEY, Aug 29 AAP - Vegetables offer more protection against diabetes than fruit or
cereal, Australian research shows.

A study of more than 2,000 people tracked over 10 years has found that vegetable fibre
had the strongest links to reduced risk of type two diabetes.

Adults eating five grams a day of vegetable fibre over the decade had a 24 per cent
reduction in the disease, according to research by the University of Sydney.

For people aged over 70, the benefits were even greater, with a 31 per cent reduction.

The same intake of fruit or cereal fibres only marginally reduced the risk, showing
they were not nearly as beneficial.

The findings, published in the US journal Diabetes Care, prove that the type and quality
of carbohydrate consumed plays an important role in type two diabetes.

Eating carbs that are high in natural fibre and ranked low on the glycaemic index (GI)
- foods that produce only small fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels - may
effectively prevent the lifestyle disease, the researchers concluded.

Study leader, dietician Alan Barclay, said vegetables, and legumes in particular, were
probably getting the best result because they were an ideal source of intact or "natural"

fibres.

"Legumes like beans, lentils, chickpeas are eaten whole with their dietary fibres intact,
which means they actually encapsulate the carbohydrate in the food," said Mr Barclay,
a PhD student.

"They therefore slow down the rate of digestion and absorption and have good flow-on
glycaemic effects on blood glucose."

Cereal fibre is not so effective because it is usually added to products, rather than
eaten in a natural form.

And while fresh fruit fibres are intact, Australians are probably just not eating enough
of it to benefit, Mr Barclay said.

The study focused on 2,123 people aged over 49 living in the NSW Blue Mountains who
were tracked between 1991 and 2001. Over that time, 138 people developed diabetes.

AAP tam/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: DIABETES

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

NSW: Jewish community slams race hate DVD

AAP General News (Australia)
04-15-2007
NSW: Jewish community slams race hate DVD

A race hate film .. rated PG by the Office of Film and Literature Classification ..

has been slammed by the Jewish community.

The film is contained in exiled Muslim cleric Sheik FEIZ MOHAMMED's DVD box set ..

and labels Jews as pigs .. and calls for children to martyr themselves.

NSW Jewish Board of Deputies chief executive VIC ALHADEFF has called it an outrage
that such material could be allowed into the country.

Mr ALDAHEFF says it's time to seriously question the guidelines which allow such offensive
material to be allowed into the country and be distributed.

He wants the rating as well as the guidelines to be reviewed.

AAP RTV cj/crh

KEYWORD: FEIZ JEWISH (SYDNEY)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

WA: Carpenter announces major frontbench reshuffle

AAP General News (Australia)
12-13-2006
WA: Carpenter announces major frontbench reshuffle

West Australian Premier ALAN CARPENTER has announced a major reshuffle of his frontbench.

Embattled minister LJILJANNA RAVLICH has been removed from the education portfolio
which goes to Environment Minister MARK MCGOWAN.

The environment portfolio will shift to junior minister TONY MCCRAE .. who also takes
on responsibility for the new portfolio of climate change and retains disability services.

Ms RAVLICH has been given the more junior portfolios of multicultural interests and
citizenship .. youth and government enterprises.

Mr CARPENTER acknowledged it's been a tough year for Ms RAVLICH but denies she had
been out of her depth in education.

JOHN BOWLER has lost the resources portfolio to FRANCIS LOGAN .. who retains responsibility
for energy and also takes on industry and enterprises.

Mr CARPENTER says Mr BOWLER wasn't demoted because of perceived links to disgraced
former premier BRIAN BURKE .. labelling it smear and innuendo.

Mr BOWLER has been given responsibility for local government .. employment protection
and racing and gaming.

SHEILA MCHALE lost the indigenous affairs portfolio to MICHELLE ROBERTS .. but keeps
tourism and culture and the arts.

ERIC RIPPER will stay on as deputy and will look after treasury as well as taking over
responsibility for state development from Mr CARPENTER.

Mr CARPENTER has taken on responsibilities for trade .. innovation and science.

No new faces were elevated to the frontbench.

The new ministers will be sworn in later this afternoon.

AAP RTV ag/els/bart

KEYWORD: RESHUFFLE WA (PERTH)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Vic: Labor minister pays mate to write speech

AAP General News (Australia)
08-07-2006
Vic: Labor minister pays mate to write speech

A Bracks government minister has paid a friend in the Labor party more than two-thousand
dollars to write a speech .. even though he had speech writers employed in his department.

Minister assisting the Premier on Multicultural Affairs JOHN PANDAZOPOULOS .. paid
DENNIS GLOVER two-thousand-and-64 dollars of taxpayer's money to write a speech on multiculturalism.

Mr GLOVER is a former speechwriter for MARK LATHAM, SIMON CREAN and KIM BEAZLEY.

He told the Herald Sun newspaper it took him two days to write the speech .. which
also included a short version.

He says Mr PANDAZOPOULOS'S staff may not have had the necessary skills to write the speech.

Liberal MP NICK KOTSIRAS has accused Mr PANDAZOPOULOS of wasting taxpayers money ..

suggesting he rid of his current staff if he has no faith in their speech writing abilities.

AAP RTV sam/psm/

KEYWORD: SPEECH (MELBOURNE)

) 2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

AP Top News at 3:50 p.m. EST

AP Online
02-16-2006

U.N. Report Says U.S. Should Close Gitmo

In this image reviewed by the U.S. Military, an unidentified detainee is escorted by two military guards at Camp Delta, in this June 25, 2005 file photo, at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base, in Cuba. The United States should shut down the prison for terror suspects at Guantanamo Bay and either release all detainees being held there or bring them to trial, the United Nations said in a report released Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006. (AP Photo/Haraz Ghanbari, File)

GENEVA (AP) _ The United States must close its detention facility at Guantanamo Bay because it is effectively a torture camp where prisoners have no access to justice, a U.N. report released Thursday concluded. The White House rejected the recommendation.

Patriot Act Moves Closer to Renewal

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Senate pushed the Patriot Act a step closer to renewal Thursday, overwhelmingly rejecting an effort to block it. Passage is expected next month for extending the law that was passed weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks as a weapon to help the government track terror suspects.

Russian Biathlete Expelled, Loses Medal

Russia's Olga Pyleva races to win the bronze medal during the women's mass start competition at the biathlon World Championships in Hochfilzen, Austria, in this Sunday, March 13, 2005 file photo. Pyleva was suspended Thursday Feb. 16, 2006 for failing a doping test, becoming the first athlete to test positive at the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games.(AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson)

CESANA, Italy (AP) _ Russian biathlon star Olga Pyleva was thrown out of the Turin Games and stripped of her silver medal Thursday for doping, the first athlete caught in the tightest drug net in Winter Olympics history. Pyleva was favored heading into Thursday's 7.5km sprint to win her second medal of the games. As athletes were walking up to the starting line, an announcer told the crowd that Pyleva was scratched because she had fallen ill.

Sheriff: Dick Cheney Won't Face Charges

Vice President Dick Cheney, center, arrives at the White House, Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006, for early morning security briefings with President Bush. Cheney rejected Wednesday any notion that his victim bears any responsibility for the shooting accident that turned a weekend hunting trip into trauma. "I'm the guy who pulled the trigger and shot my friend," he said. (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds)

SARITA, Texas (AP) _ The sheriff's department closed its investigation Thursday into Dick Cheney's accidental shooting of a hunting partner and said no charges will be filed. The Kenedy County Sheriff's Department issued a report that largely supports the vice president's account of the weekend accident that wounded 78-year-old lawyer Harry Whittington.

Some Smokers Pay More for Health Benefits

CINCINNATI (AP) _ Smokers squeezed by soaring cigarette costs and workplace smoking bans are increasingly being hit with another cost increase _ this time for health insurance. A growing number of private and public employers are requiring employees who use tobacco to pay higher premiums, hoping that will motivate more of them to stop smoking and lower health care costs for the companies and their workers.

XM Radio Reports Loss, Key Director Quits

NEW YORK (AP) _ XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc. posted a much wider loss in the fourth quarter on higher costs for marketing and acquiring subscribers. At the same time, a key director quit over disagreements about the company's direction, warning of a looming "crisis." Its shares sank $2.16, or 8.6 percent, to $23.09 in morning trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market, after briefly trading as low as $22.94. Their previous 52-week low was $23.01.

Skype Use May Make Eavesdropping Passe

Monty Bannerman, CEO of Verso Technologies poses at the company's Atlanta office Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006. Even as the U.S. government is embroiled in a debate over the legality of wiretapping, the fastest-growing technology for Internet calls appears to have the potential to make eavesdropping a thing of the past. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)

NEW YORK (AP) _ Even as the U.S. government is embroiled in a debate over the legality of wiretapping, the fastest-growing technology for Internet calls appears to have the potential to make eavesdropping a thing of the past. Skype, the Internet calling service recently acquired by eBay Inc., provides free voice calls and instant messaging between users. Unlike other Internet voice services, Skype calls are encrypted _ encoded using complex mathematical operations. That apparently makes them impossible to snoop on, though the company leaves the issue somewhat open to question.

Elton John Accepts Libel Settlement

Sir Elton John poses during a stage photocall in London on June 22, 2004. John accepted an undisclosed financial settlement Thursday, Feb. 16, 2006, of a libel lawsuit against London's Sunday Times. His lawyer said in court that the newspaper had repeated a false rumor that the rocker acted in a self-important, arrogant and rude manner by telling guests at a fundraising ball not to address him unless spoken to.(AP Photo/Max Nash)

LONDON (AP) _ Elton John accepted an undisclosed financial settlement Thursday of a libel lawsuit against the Sunday Times. His lawyer, Hanna Basha, said in court that the newspaper had repeated a false rumor that the rocker acted in a self-important, arrogant and rude manner by telling guests at a fundraising ball not to address him unless spoken to.

Iran Renames Danish Pastries

Persian sign of "Danish pastries" right, and "Roses of Prophet Mohammad" are seen in a bakers in Tehran Thursday Feb. 16, 2006. Iran is taking the fight against cartoons considered blasphamous by Muslims to a new ground: Renaming "Danish pastries" into "Roses of Prophet Mohammad" in the country of cake lovers. (AP Photo/Hasan Sarbakhshian)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) _ Iranians love Danish pastries, but when they look for the flaky dessert at the bakery they now have to ask for "Roses of the Prophet Muhammad." Bakeries across the capital were covering up their ads for Danish pastries Thursday after the confectioners' union ordered the name change in retaliation for caricatures of the Muslim prophet published in a Danish newspaper.

Pedersen Blows by Rivals for Skeleton Gold

Gold medallist Maya Pedersen of Switzerland celebrates as she slides in following her final run in skeleton competition at the Olympic Games in Cesana Pariol, Italy on Thursday February 16, 2006. (AP Photo/Frank Gunn, CP)

CESANA, Italy (AP) _ Mama Maya, she's fast! Switzerland's Maya Pedersen, who parked her sled to become a mother two years ago, is now an Olympic champion after winning her country's first gold medal of the Turin Games in women's skeleton on Thursday. Showing zero fear in a headfirst, freezing freefall down one of the world's fastest sliding tracks, Pedersen completed her two runs in 1 minute, 59.83 seconds, an astonishing 1.23 seconds ahead of Shelley Rudman of Britain _ the first medal of these games for the Brits.

Copyright 2006, AP News All Rights Reserved

Microchip Pioneer Jack Kilby Dies at 81

AP Online
06-21-2005
Dateline: DALLAS
Microchip pioneer Jack Kilby, who won the 2000 Nobel Prize for co-inventing the integrated circuits that ushered in the digital age of personal computers, cell phones and the Internet, has died after a brief battle with cancer. He was 81.

In 1958, during his first year working with Texas Instruments Inc. in Dallas, Kilby used borrowed equipment to build the first integrated circuit. All the components were fabricated in a single piece of semiconductor material half the size of a paper clip.

"In my opinion, there are only a handful of people whose works have truly transformed the world and the way we live in it _ Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, the Wright Brothers and Jack Kilby," TI Chairman Tom Engibous said in a statement Tuesday.

"If there was ever a seminal invention that transformed not only our industry but our world, it was Jack's invention of the first integrated circuit," Engibous said.

Microprocessors and memory chips are among the integrated circuits found in all manner of digital devices.

Kilby held more than 60 U.S. patents, including one filed in 1959 for a solid circuit made of germanium. A few years later, Robert Noyce of Fairchild Semiconductor received a patent for a similar but more complex circuit made of silicon. Noyce later co-founded Intel Corp.

Kilby grew up in Great Bend, Kan. With degrees in electrical engineering from the Universities of Illinois and Wisconsin, he began his career in 1947 with the Centralab Division of Globe Union Inc. in Milwaukee, developing ceramic-base, silk-screen circuits for consumer electronic products.

Kilby went on to pioneer military, industrial and commercial applications of microchip technology. He headed teams that built the first military system and the first computer incorporating integrated circuits. He later co-invented the hand-held calculator and the thermal printer used in portable data terminals.

In 1970, he took a leave of absence from TI to work as an independent inventor exploring the use of silicon technology for generating electrical power from sunlight.

For his ideas and inventions, Kilby received two of the nation's most prestigious honors in science and engineering.

In 1970, in a White House ceremony, he received the National Medal of Science. In 1982, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame, taking his place alongside Henry Ford, Thomas Edison and the Wright Brothers in the annals of American innovation.

From 1978 to 1984, he held the position of Distinguished Professor of Electrical Engineering at Texas A&M University.

His awards include the Franklin Institute's Stuart Ballantine Medal, the NAE's Vladimir Zworykin Award, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers' Holley Medal, the IEEE's Metal of Honor, the Cledo Brunetti Award and the David Sarnoff Award.

On the 30th anniversary of the invention of the integrated circuit, the governor of Texas dedicated an official Texas historical marker near the site of the TI laboratory where Kilby did his work.

Kilby spent his later years as a consultant to TI, working on industry and government assignments throughout the world.

Kilby died Monday, according to TI. He is survived by two daughters, five granddaughters, and a son-in-law.

___

On the Net: http://www.ti.com/kilby

Copyright 2005, AP News All Rights Reserved

QLD: DPI investigation further citrus canker outbreaks

AAP General News (Australia)
02-10-2005
QLD: DPI investigation further citrus canker outbreaks

By Chris Herde

BRISBANE, Feb 10 AAP - Queensland agricultural authorities will investigate another
potential outbreak of citrus canker in the Emerald region.

Grower John Pressler said today he had found suspicious lesions on five trees on his
property about two kilometres from where the last outbreak occurred.

"It's in another area and it's on another of our farms and samples of these suspicious
lesions, which my trained eye says are going to come back positive," he said.

So far more than 90,000 trees have been destroyed on Mr Pressler's properties.

The initial outbreak was discovered in July last year on Evergreen Farms which had
around 230,000 trees destroyed.

Mr Pressler has called for all citrus trees in the area to be destroyed with growers
receiving $50 in compensation for each tree killed.

He said if the march of the disease continued it could threaten Australia's $600 million
citrus industry.

"Rome's burning. It should be all about stopping it spreading outside of Emerald," he said.

"It could completely ruin the Australia citrus industry."

Mr Pressler said the state government's response had been overly bureaucratic and inadequate.

Recently the government offered growers interest-free loans of up to $500,000 per farmer.

This would be available for two years to growers in the Emerald area whose properties
have been quarantined since the citrus canker disease was discovered.

Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (DPI) Plant Health General Manager Chris
Adriaansen said inspectors would be visiting Mr Pressler's property.

"This property has been under quarantine since the first detection of citrus canker
on another property in July last year," he said.

"In October, citrus canker was identified on this property and it has been locked down
since then.

"The announcement by Mr Pressler today has no immediate impact on the current status
of other citrus growers.

"Citrus canker has not been detected on any other property in Queensland - not in Gayndah-Mundubbera,
not on the other Emerald properties and not in the rest of Queensland."

Mr Adriaansen said diagnosis of the samples was expected to be completed within a week.

"Obviously our ability to collect the samples and have them diagnosed will be determined
by the level of co-operation we receive from the property owners."

AAP ch/cjh/sd

KEYWORD: CANKER

2005 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

acquisition accounting

acquisition accounting The accounting procedures followed when one company is taken over by another. The fair value of the purchase consideration should, for the purpose of consolidated financial statements, be allocated between the underlying net tangible and intangible assets, other than goodwill, on the basis of the fair value to the acquiring company. Any difference between the fair value of the consideration and the aggregate of the fair values of the separable net assets (including identifiable intangibles, such as patents, licences, and trademarks) will represent goodwill. The results of the acquired company should be brought into the consolidated profit and loss account from the date of acquisition only.

In certain circumstances merger accounting may be used when accounting for a business combination. Acquisition accounting differs from merger accounting in that shares issued as purchase consideration are valued at their market price, not par value (see share premium account), a goodwill figure may arise on consolidation, and pre-acquisition profits are not distributable. Merger accounting treats both parties as if they had always been combined, and values the purchase consideration at par.

Acquisition accounting and merger accounting were covered by Statement of Standard Accounting Practice 23, `Accounting for Acquisitions and Mergers', until September 1994, when the Accounting Standards Board issued Financial Reporting Standards 6, `Acquisitions and Mergers', and Financial Reporting Standard 7, `Fair Values in Acquisition Accounting', which replaced SSAP 23.

Argentina: Telecoms reorganize.

Within six months for the deregulation of the Argentinean telecoms market, the two major players Telefonica and Telecom area restructuring their operations. Telefonica, responding to a world reorganization, wants to win a position in the fast growing data communications and Internet businesses through the subsidiary Telefonica Data. The other major Telecom is working towards the halving of Telecom Soluciones, passing on to its direct control the area that renders data communications services to corporations. Arnet, the independent ISP willcontinue as such. The data communications market in Argentina is growing 25% annually and is currently estimated at US$330mil.

Copyright (c) 2000, SABI, all rights reserved.

Source: El Cronista Page: 21 Date: May 19, 2000 Country: Argentina Product: Telecommunications Company: Telefonica ; Telecom Event: Reorganization SABI (South American Business Information)

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