HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, April 16

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2004
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, April 16

CANBERRA - An Australian aid worker who had been captured in Iraq was foolhardy, Prime
Minister John Howard said today. (Iraq Aust Howard)

SYDNEY - An Australian aid worker taken hostage in the Iraqi flashpoint town of Fallujah
said her capture was terrifying, and she claimed she had been placed in great danger because
of "inflammatory" comments by Prime Minister John Howard. (Iraq Hostages Aust Lead)

IRAQ AUST NIGHTLEAD to come

CANBERRA - Police will examine if a Sydney student accused of training with terrorists
has links to French terrorist suspect Willie Brigitte, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer
said today. (Terror Aust Downer)

SYDNEY - An audio tape allegedly from terrorist mastermind Osama bin Laden with an
offer of truce was not be taken seriously, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

(Terror Binladen Downer)

SYDNEY - The fact no charges had been laid against Australian terrorist suspect David
Hicks left hope he may be sent home, his US-appointed defence lawyer said today. (Hicks
Daylead)

TERROR AUST NIGHTLEAD to come

CANBERRA - Former communications minister Richard Alston would have the credentials
for the chairman's job at Telstra if he put up his hand, Prime Minister John Howard said
today. (Telstra Nightlead)

SYDNEY - Telstra's interim chairman John Ralph said today his immediate focus was to
identify a new chairman to work in conjunction with chief executive Ziggy Switkowski and
his management team. (Telstra Ralph)

CANBERRA - The federal government today began the hard-sell of its plan to abolish
ATSIC, signalling talks with the minor parties and independents to get it through the
Senate. (ATSIC 2nd Daylead)

DARWIN - Traditional Aboriginal owners today called on the federal government to reconsider
its decision to scrap ATSIC. (ATSIC NLC)

ATSIC NIGHTLEAD to come

MELBOURNE - Police today confirmed they had been pursuing a stolen car before it hit
and killed a motorcyclist while driving down the wrong side of Victoria's Geelong Road.

(Toll Vic 2nd Daylead, NIGHTLEAD to come)

PERTH - The mother of a young man awarded $7.2 million in damages after suffering severe
brain injuries in a car accident today said she had hoped to receive more money to help
care for her son. (Baldwin)

CANBERRA - Qantas had teamed with European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (EADS)
to become the preferred tenderer on a $2 billion aircraft contract, Defence Minister Robert
Hill announced today. (Aircraft, NIGHTLEAD to come)

BRISBANE - A former Queensland Father of the Year who molested boys at an exclusive
Anglican school is facing jail at the age of 80 after pleading guilty today. (HOSKINS
to come)

MELBOURNE - Actor/singer Delta Goodrem and new boyfriend tennis ace Mark Philippoussis
will make their first official public appearance as a couple at the TV Week Logie Awards
on Sunday. (Logies, with List)

MELBOURNE - Sporting commentator Eddie McGuire has taken out three gongs in the alternative
to Australia's best-known television prize. (Fugly)

SYDNEY - A massive study has delivered bad news for beer drinkers after proving the
long-held folklore tenet that alcohol consumption causes gout. (Gout)

MELBOURNE - Shares in National Australia Bank Ltd dived more than 2.5 per cent when
it warned its first half cash earnings would fall by as much as five per cent. (NAB, NIGHTLEAD
to come)

SYDNEY - Craig Stevens was entitled to sell his story given the pressure he's been
under since qualifying for the Olympic 400m freestyle ahead of Ian Thorpe, Australian
Olympic Committee president John Coates said today. (Swim Stevens Coates)

SYDNEY - Craig Stevens is entering dangerous waters. (Swim Stevens Analysis)

SWIM STEVENS NIGHTLEAD to come

MELBOURNE - Collingwood skipper Nathan Buckley will miss his side's AFL clash against
Fremantle on Sunday and may be out of action for up to a month with a back injury. (AFL
Magpies, AFL NIGHTLEAD to come)

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KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL

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