AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Feb 13

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AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Breakfast, Feb 13Breakfast Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 0430

Korea (VIENNA)

Raising the stakes in the nuclear standoff with North Korea, the UN nuclear agencyhas reported the communist country to the Security Council.

The International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors made the decision in anemergency closed-door session at the agency's headquarters in Vienna.

Russia and Cuba abstained from the vote, which sets the stage for possible sanctions.

North Korea hasn't met its obligations under international nuclear accords.

The IAEA has urged the North to comply, but also says it stresses its desire for apeaceful resolution of the nuclear issue.

Iraq BinLaden (DOHA)

US officials say the purported voice of OSAMA BIN LADEN urging Muslims to help SADDAMHUSSEIN fight Americans -- even though his government is of infidels -- shows the Iraqileader's ties to al-Qaeda.

The voice on the tape aired by Al-Jazeera urges Iraqis to stage suicide attacks andlure American troops into bloody urban battles to inflict big casualties.

US Secretary of State COLIN POWELL says the comments bolster US allegations that Iraqis harbouring al-Qaeda operatives.

Some Middle East experts have questioned ties between BIN LADEN'S Islamic extremistsand SADDAM'S government, which nominally adheres to a Pan-Arabic socialistic doctrinecalled Baathism.

Terror UK (LONDON)

London is on heightened security for a second day, with armed troops patrolling Heathrow airport.

Officials refuse to reveal the substance of the threat, although the chairman of Britain'sgoverning Labour Party, JOHN REID, says it's on a scale of the September 11 attacks.

Home Secretary DAVID BLUNKETT says a total shutdown of Heathrow, the world's busiestinternational airport, was considered when BLAIR and other officials received disturbingintelligence on Monday.

But he says it was decided that such a drastic step would represent a victory for terroristsand harm the British economy.

Howard UK (LONDON)

Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD has praised Britain's stand against Iraqi President SADDAMHUSSEIN after talks with British Foreign Secretary JACK STRAW.

Mr HOWARD says Britain had taken a strong, principled and determined stand against SADDAM.

Mr STRAW says SADDAM has done many things to sponsor terrorism.

He says SADDAM and OSAMA BIN LADEN share a common cause in their belief that terrorismcan reflect their political ends.

Iraq Aust (CANBERRA)

The parliamentary debate over Iraq is set to end today.

Debate over the war started last week, with independent MP PETER ANDREN likely to forceits conclusion in the parliament's last sitting day of the month.

Mr ANDREN's set to push for an amendment that would require Australia to only backan attack on Iraq if there's unanimous support from the five permanent members of theUnited Nations Security Council.

It comes after confirmation from the defence force that cabinet last July gave approvalto two officers working inside American military headquarters.

Opposition foreign affairs spokesman KEVIN RUDD says the revelation's shown the government'smade its decision to go to war and has systematically misled the public.

Iraq Vaccine (CANBERRA)

Eleven sailors are heading home from Australian warships in the Persian Gulf afterrefusing to undergo inoculation for anthrax, and others may follow.

Defence Force chief General PETER COSGROVE says vaccination is voluntary and thosewho refuse will not be punished.

But troops who reject the injections will be withdrawn from the Middle East in casethey fall victim to Iraqi biological attack.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister ROBERT HILL says he'd take the anthrax vaccine if he wereto visit Australian troops in the Middle East.

Commonwealth Zimbabwe (HARARE)

President ROBERT MUGABE'S government is basking quietly in the glow of Nigeria's driveto get Commonwealth sanctions against Zimbabwe lifted.

The Commonwealth faces fresh controversy after Nigeria and South Africa urged an immediateend to sanctions against Zimbabwe.

They've accused Australia of failing to act as an honest broker over the former Rhodesia.

Nigerian President OLUSEGUN OBASANJO'S call came in a letter to Australian Prime MinisterJOHN HOWARD, head of a Zimbabwe sanctions committee.

Economy (CANBERRA)

New job figures due out today have the federal government braced for a dose of unhelpfuleconomic news.

Economists are tipping a fall of up to 35,000 jobs, although the 6.2 per cent unemploymentrate itself may fall due to changes in the participation rate.

The participation rate hit a record high last month, but analysts say the January figuresshould fall to a more manageable level.

The jobs sector continues to be the hardest to pick, with an official measure of futureemployment falling for the fourth time in a row, suggesting a slowdown in jobs growthby mid-year.

News Corp (SYDNEY)

News Corp boss RUPERT MURDOCH has hinted at strong results for his company, due torelease its second quarter earnings today.

But with war looming in the Middle East, the media group may take a more cautious approachabout its earnings outlook.

Some analysts expect a three-fold increase News Corp's second quarter operating income.

But others have warned the company mightn't be as bullish as it was last November whenit forecast double-digit earnings growth for 2002/03.

Betterridge Downer (CANBERRA)

Australian officials are in Cambodia for talks with government ministers there overthe extradition of alleged paedophile CLINT BETTERRIDGE.

Foreign Affairs Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER sent the officials to Cambodia yesterdayafter a mistake by Australian embassy staff in Phnom Penh allowed BETTERRIDGE to fleeCambodia.

Embassy staff mistakenly issued BETTERRIDGE with a new passport and he left the countrybefore his trial on child sex charges.

Thirty-five-year-old BETTERRIDGE returned home to Australia days before a Cambodiancourt sentenced him in absentia to 10 years in jail and fined him $8,000 for raping sixCambodian girls aged 12 to 14.

Teachers (BRISBANE)

Queensland government negotiators will meet with teachers today in a bid to head offindustrial action that's threatening to disrupt classes.

Teachers at some schools have already held stop work meetings during class time overtheir ongoing pay dispute.

And more such meetings have been threatened for today and tomorrow, with other schoolslining up for next week.

Today's negotiations come ahead of tomorrow's face-off at the Industrial RelationsCommission over the wage dispute.

The union wants a rise of eight per cent a year, 17.5 hours of student contact timeper week and assurances over class sizes and behaviour management.

Bushfires Vic (MELBOURNE)

Victoria's firefighters are braced for more hot weather and strong winds, which areexpected to bring an end to several cool days.

Firefighters battling Victoria's million-hectare blaze burning across the state's northeastare preparing for high temperatures and rising strong winds over the next two days.

The southern edge of the blaze, stretching from Omeo in East Gippsland to the New SouthWales border and beyond, is the area of most concern.

Department of Sustainability and Environment spokesman MICHAEL LEONARD says they onlyhave until the weekend before the weather will push the fire to the south.

WCup Warne (MELBOURNE)

SHANE WARNE has returned to Melbourne from South Africa and again insisted he hadn'ttaken a banned diuretic to hide a performance-enhancing drug.

WARNE will appear before an ACB anti-doping committee to plead his case and the outcomewill determine whether Australia seeks a replacement for him in the World Cup squad.

BRIEFLY..........

India has test-fired a supersonic cruise missile jointly developed by New Delhi andMoscow and capable of hitting several Pakistani cities. Pakistan has criticised what itcalls India's massive militarisation.

A suspected Ebola outbreak in central Republic of Congo has killed 48 people, infectedmany others and sent panicked villagers fleeing.

The historic war crimes trial of former Yugoslav president SLOBODAN MILOSEVIC has enteredits second year.

A single-hulled tanker carrying 35,000 metric tons of diesel fuel that ran agroundlast week near Denmark has left for Boston, after the Danish Maritime Authority said itshull wasn't damaged.

AND IN SPORT..........

WCup Rashid (JOHANNESBURG)

Pakistan wicketkeeper RASHID LATIF has been cleared of a charge that he made a racistcomment towards Australia's ADAM GILCHRIST during this week's World Cup match.

Match referee CLIVE LLOYD decided there was not sufficient evidence.

LATIF says he's going to sue the entire Australian team over the matter.

GILCHRIST says he was shocked by the comment he believes he heard but fully acceptsthe outcome of the inquiry.

WCup Wrap (POTCHEFSTROOM, S Africa)

South Africa's star fielder, JONTY RHODES, broke his hand while stopping the ball duringhis team's 10-wicket World Cup victory over Kenya.

Openers HERSCHELLE GIBBS and GARY KIRSTEN needed just over 21 overs to pass Kenya'stotal of 140 all out in 38 overs.

India failed to inspire in a 68-run win over the Netherlands and will need drasticimprovement to match Australia on Saturday.

ENDS BREAKFAST ROUND-UP

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