From the World-Wide Resourses of the Western Australia Reserch Senter(*) OIL THE NEWS THAT FITS MY VIEWS =============================== In the Run-Up to World War III, Reliably Reporting the News Relevant to Extreme Right-Wing Democratic Socialists Everywhere (validated for RiteThink(tm) by the Office of Our Man in Can-berra). Visit Our Home Page At: http://www.chickenhead.com/loserscopes/0103.asp Kindly Archived At: http://www.kymhorsell.com/BOZO/archives/ ------------------------------------------------- New bumper-stickers spotted around Texas: FIRST IRAQ, THEN FRANCE. ------------------------------------------------- THEY STILL RITE BOOKS, DUN THEY? "Blinded by the right: the conscience of an ex-conservative", by David Brock, Scribe. Tories around the world are doing well at the moment. Roger Scruton, at one time known for fine words regarding intellectual integrity in a nasty world, was caught with a part-time job placing ads for smoking in Brit magazines. Spot-lit closer to home, Janet Albrechtson, AKA Queen of Mean, slipped "Muslim" into a quote or two. But all small potatoes compared with career-to-date outlined in this mea culpa from a US Tory hatchet-man. Although this book is American in its uncompromising confessional style, there is a minimum of gush. ------------------------------------------------- Counting down to PROJECT FRIENDLY FIRE, 21 Feb 2003, circle these past historical dates under your fridge magnets! 09 Feb. -51 F registered at Vanderbilt, MI, 1934. 11 Feb. Thomas Edison born, 1847. National Foundation Day in Japan. 12 Feb. Immanuel Kant born, 1804. Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin born, 1809. Santa Barbara oil leak, 1969. 14 Feb. Bombing of Dresden, 1945. First 1-chip computer patented by TI, 1978. St. Valentine's Day. 15 Feb. Galileo Galilei born, 1564. Susan B. Anthony born, 1820. The Chicago Seven convicted, 1970. ------------------------------------------------- 07 Feb 2003. Seoul. In a continuing robust exchange of diametrically-opposed views, North Korea has warned the US any attack on its nuclear facilities will provoke "total war". Elsewhere, experts are trying to figure out how much of the reactor site, associated with NK's nuke weapons program, has been re-activated. The new warning comes a day after P'yongyang issued an English-language statement it had restarted the site to generate "friendly electricity". Washington (CH 7). ITS NOT NECESSARILY WAR! A grim-faced Pres George Bush Jr has told America to prepare for war and given a blunt history lesson about the Evil Regime of Saddam Hussein. Mr Bush accused the Evil One of authorising the use of chem weapons against US troops in Iraq. He said he was finished playing games. The statement came hrs after the spearhead 101st Airborne received orders to deploy in the Gulf. Washington (SBS). IT'S WAR! In a press conf designed to ramp up the pressure on the UN following Colin Powell's speech, the President told war-shy allies "now is the time to act". In the strongest wording from the Admin so far he called on the UN to "punish" Baghdad. Mr Bush said a "growing coalition of nations" was about to move to disarm the Iraqi regime. The US Pres went on to order the UN Security Council not to back down. If it failed to pass a new resolution authorising the US to use force against Saddam he would take unilateral action to ensure Iraq "stood by previous resolutions". "Saddam hussein will be stopped", he said. Mr Bush told Iraq "the game is over". The President made 2 new claims about the Iraqi regime. According to "sources", the Pres said, Iraq was preparing to use chemical weapons against invading allied troops. Mr Bush said Saddam had recently signed orders authorising field commanders to use chemical weapons. Mr Bush also said Iraq could possibly attack American mainland cities with chemical weapons launched from ships off the US coast. SBS reports Pres Bush and PM Howard are "singing the same tune". "I think we are getting to the end game", the PM told reporters. But other allies are not so sure. Russia said it would continue to oppose any new resolution authorising the use of force. In a further deployment that surprised some experts by its size, 23,000 more US troops including the 101st airborne have been ordered to the Gulf. Washington. INTERNET GETS CALL-UP NOTICE! US Pres George Bush Jr has ordered govt agencies draw up guidelines for attacking computer systems around the world. The WashPost says Mr Bush signed the directive last July ordering the development of rules for deciding who, when and how the US would disrupt foreign computer networks and systems. The newspaper said the secret national security directive had not been disclosed until now. London. Britain is set to change its asylum rules, introducing visa requirements for refugees who have already reached other safe states. 7 countries whose citizens will no longer be considered for asylum were listed. The govt has been under "strong public pressure" to curb the number of asylum seekers. The Home Office said it would now require visas from people carrying refugee papers as of next Tue. Bogota. An explosion at a nightclub has killed at least 9 and injured more than 100. The blast set the 10-story building on fire and showered bricks and mortar onto a busy boulevard, crushing cars that were passing by. Police say 9 people are known to have been killed, and 114 are listed as injured. The blast was caused by a car bomb in an underground garage of Club Nogal, which is in front of the US Ambassador's residence. Bogota. A small plane carrying the labour and health minister and 4 other people is missing on a flight over the Andes. Aviation officials say Luis London was travelling in a twin-engine plane with 2 aides and a bodyguard, bound for Popayan in the SW. Air traffic control list contact with the plane 15 Into its flight. Canberra. BRICK HAPPENS! The High Court has ruled Boral has not abused its market power by sparking a price war in concrete bricks and pavers. The Court rejected 6/1 a claim brought by the ACCC alleging Boral and subsidiary Boral Besser Masonry had breached the Trade Practices Act. The company escaped a fine of up to $10 mn. The decision ends a 7 y dispute between Boral and the consumer watchdog. The ACCC is reportedly livid. Brisbane. DOPE CITY! Qld farmers have harvested their first commercial hemp crop. The harvest, near Murgon in the state's South Burnett, is the first crop since restrictions were removed on commercial hemp late last y. The crop is to be used in industrial fibre and grain products. Prim Ind Min Henry Palaszczuk said his dept had licensed 16 growers to produce the new crop he hopes will bring new opportunities for ag in Qld. Baghdad. An Iraqi scientist has been interviewed for the 1st time without govt supervision. UN weapons inspectors were permitted to take a bio weapons specialist to a secure location for a detailed interview regarding the Iraqi weapons program. The substance of talks is not known. In allowing the interview Iraq appears to have acceded to a key demand from weapons inspectors. At the same time, chief Iraq go-between Gen Amer al-Saadi was ridiculing the Sec of State's presentation to the UN. Mr Powell's speech was "mainly for home consumption", he said. The Gen's press conf fell short of the promised point-by-point demolition of the US evidence. Gen Saadi ridiculed the US case saying in would only fool its ill-informed domestic audience. The Gen challenged the interpretation of the photos presented to the UN. He referring to photos alleged to be long-range Scud missile sites. "It is ours, no doubt", said the Gen. But that was all the US had got right. It was used to de-commission old, short range missiles, he said. Gen Saadi said the location had been inspected by the UN and offered to take reporters there. Rome. While the population of Italy seems to be off-side in lack of support for a US attack on Iraq, not so PM Silvio B. But he's had a hard time presenting his views to Parliament. It a speech supporting Mr Bush today, the PM was loudly interrupted whenever he tried to make a point. Members of the Green and Communist parties held up signs and peace flags. And then the scuffles broke out. Order was eventually restored. Mr B. said this was the most serious crisis since WWII. He called on the UN for a 2nd Resolution, but he didn't indicate that Italy would follow the US into battle. London. PM Tony Blair is experiencing a public backlash for his support of the US war on Iraq. He met vocal opposition from a group in N England when he turned up for a televised discussion of the issues. Inside, the reception was hardly less hostile. During the Q & A a member of the audience dubbed Mr Blair "the Member for Texas North". But to rub it in, the title was taken up by the interviewer. Turkey. The Turkish Parliament has "erupted" during a speech in support of the US position on Iraq. After trying for some time to make themselves heard, members of the govt moved to hold a debate in a closed session. After the press was removed, Parliament voted to allow the US to upgrade bases in Turkey in prep for war. Canberra. CLUMSY, CLUMSY, CLUMSY! Although all sides have down-played the story, a row continues over the political correctness of comments made by members of the Labor Party about the war on Iraq and the US President. The Americans are now saying Aussie politicians are allowed to debate in Parliament, but they may not insult the US President or his Doctrine. Remember: it's not Imperialism, it's a friendly suggestion! It's been revealed US Amb to Aus, Tom Schieffer, is a "close personal friend" of Mr Bush Jr, and experts say his reaction to "certain comments" was predictable. The focus has moved from comments made by Mr Crean at the deployment of Aussie troops last wk, and robust comments criticising US policy, and the general "anti-American" attitude of the ALP, to comments made by Labor's head-kicker-in-chief, Mark Latham. Perhaps it's a "tall poppy syndrome". Mr Latham is well known for using technical terms like "arse-lickers", "conga line of suck-holes" or "flakey, dangerous and incompetent". He happily continued the insult row in Parliament today. While Opp'n leader Crean says he doesn't endorse Mark Latham's comments he said the row "was all a sideshow". He told reporters the US should not deploy without a UN mandate. Elsewhere, Mr Howard is about to leave for the UN just as the endgame draws closer. Seoul. The exchange between the US and NK continues. Some have now dubbed it a "blood feud". NK officials have warned the US and South Korea the "Korean peninsula would be reduced to ashes" should the US launch an attack on the N. The US has responded saying NK will face a "robust response" should it launch any attack. Officials in NK responded that "preemptive strikes are not the exclusive right of the US". They also indicated their missiles can reach Japan. At home and around the world, the US govt is under fire for ignoring the crisis. Democrats say the President should stop downplaying the situation and immediately engage in direct talks with NK. But Washington maintains it will not be held to ransom. By anyone. Sec of State Colin Powell said he would not panic at the actions and demands coming from the Communist state. Whitehouse mouthpiece Ari Fleischer helpfully compared the current sit'n with NK's "random patterns of behaviour in the past". The North then responded with a flower offensive, with NK TV showing soldiers growing flowers. The NK armed forces have apparently created a new flower they've named the "Kim Jong Ilya" after the Beloved Leader. NK officials then called the US "the root of evil", apparently copying something off the web. In response, Ari Fleischer told NK to "calm down". Words to live by. They were "only hurting their own cause", Mr Fleischer added. Huh? Sydney. The AUD continues upward, reaching 0.5924 USD today. The All Ords was also 0.75% higher, ending 2 days of falls in the up position. Wall St ended its day down 0.75%. Saudi Arabia. The Saudi govt has stepped up security in preparation for the annual Haj. In a show of force by security services, 1000s of police and riot vehicles were on display today. The govt fears heightened tensions over the possible Iraq war. In America, security alerts have sounded, with officials linking the end of the Haj to possible terrorist attacks on US citizens around the world. The Saudi govt indicates it won't tolerate any trouble here. 2 mn pilgrims have arrived already. Many more are expected over the next few days. Previous years have been plagued by disaster with deadly fires, stampedes and building collapses leaving 100s dead. Iraqi pilgrims are of "special concern" to authorities this y. The govt has asked all pilgrims to "stay calm and peaceful". But no chances will be taken. 2,000 cameras will scan crowds for trouble. And the Saudi's have ordered in 9 choppers to cover the cities of Mecca and Medina, and other holy sites. The 3 day Haj will officially begin on Sun. Sydney. Sydney-siders have noticed a price spike at the bowser. Following a rise in S.A. earlier in the wk, petrol prices across Sydney have hit $1, a jump of 14 c. Reports say there is already a $2 war cost factored in to refining prices. "More is going on than simply war", said one commentator, and called on oil companies to "please explain". Motoring groups have called on the govt to slash petrol tax. Melbourne. Petrol has topped $1 per L in Melb amid fears of a war with Iraq. The highest price around the city was 104.9 cents/L. The wholesale price at the Shell refinery in Sydney was 90.02 cents/L. Despite a plan by OPEC to increase production by 500,000 bbl a day to moderate prices, and an announcement there would be a glut by the end of the y, oil has suffered a huge price shock over past weeks. Petrol prices rose 15% during Iraq I, 12 ya. But experts say because prices are already high the market is prepared for war. Huh? Just ignore what you are seeing! Shell says motorists should buy over the weekend, during the low part of the planned weekly cycle. Sydney. A new poll shows Sydney residents are more afraid of crime than people in other Aussie capitals. It's a result that doesn't surprise experts. They say TV coverage of crime and police raids, esp. crime dramas, impacts the perception of crime. The poll found only 21% of Sydney-siders felt safe on public transport, but 30% felt safe walking in the evenings. Police Min Kosta said the poll was 12 m out of date. The perception of crime was different from crime itself, he added. Elsewhere, 9 NSW police officers have been caught cheating on exams. Police say they would be "disciplined". But the decision to put all exam Q and A on the Internet has left some perplexed. Houston. SHUTTLE. NASA has announced Shuttles had overheated during landing on 2 other occasions. In what some reports said was a "revelation", officials said tile damage had previously caused "significantly high temperatures" without leading to catastrophic failure of the spacecraft. Other observers say the incidents were well-known, and recall TV footage showing astronauts looking at blackened heat-shield tiles immediately after landing. Experts do believe tiles were somehow damaged on the underside of the left wing of Columbia. The "huge forces" of re-entry then tore the craft apart. NASA is reported to be looking into the "slight possibility" that space debris may be responsible for the disaster. Experts say something even the size of pin could hit the spacecraft like a bullet if it was travelling at high speed. But answers are still hard to come by. NASA continues to examine debris from as far away as California. Elsewhere, the amnesty for handing in "souvenirs" has ended, with several people turning in material over the period. Meanwhile, a memorial service was held for the 7 Columbia astronauts in Washington. Adelaide. An asylum seeker has reportedly committed suicide after his visa was cancelled. He had been living in the community while a court case challenging the decision was in progress. The case had just finished, said TV reports. ------------------------------------------------- 08 Feb 2003. London. BUSTED! ERRORS AND ALL! Large parts of Brit's latest document detailing the Crimes of Iraq, said to be based on "intelligence material", had been plagiarised from academic papers, it has been revealed. The dossier, titled simply "Iraq -- its infrastructure and concealment, deception and intimidation" had won high praise from Colin Powell in his speech to the UN. "I would call my colleagues' attention to the fine paper that the United Kingdom distributed... which describes in extensive detail Iraqi deception activities", he said. While the first paragraph of the document says it "draws upon a number of sources" a lecturer in politics at Cambridge has blown the whistle. He was quite surprised to have read most of the material before, he said yesterday. 4 of the document's 19 pages seem to be a copy, with light editing only, from an Internet web page written by Ibrahim al-Marashi, a US-based grad student. 6 other pages came from articles by Sean Boyne and Ken Gause from Jane's Intel Review in 1997. The document, that itself was posted on a govt web site, had accidentally contained the names of certain govt employees. Those names were quickly removed last Mon. Apart from passing the work off as coming from intel services it really indicated the UK has no independent evidence, Dr Rangwala said. He pointed out the document also preserves "quirks" showing its origins from the world of electronic cut & paste. He pointed to certain errors in punctuation that occurred in an original document and the govt version. There were also other unusual spelling and grammatical errors. WHAT A BLOODY NASTY FELLOW! :-) A UK govt rep failed to explain why the Portfolio of Crimes had failed to correctly attribute its humble origins, saying it did say "a number of sources, including intelligence". "It speaks for itself", he said. Melbourne. Leunig. OK, he's obviously going strange in his old age. But at least it's with STYLE! **************************************** Free! ELVIS ALERT KIT ---------------------------- A message from the Prime Minister of Australia. "My fellow Australians. I have provided you with this Elvis Alert kit, to protect you from Elvis Presley and the terrible that he poses to our way of life. Elvis lives and we must be vigilant and not shirk our responsibilities or the tough decisions. If you see him, tell us. You will notice a fridge magnet has been included". THE PRIME MINISTER. [photo of Mr Howard, Mr Bush in b.g.] IF ELVIS APPROACHES YOU, DO *NOT*, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, LOOK INTO HIS EYES. HOW TO OPERATE THE FRIDGE MAGNET. (1) Hold magnet between forefinger and thumb. (2) Hold magnet 5mm from fridge door. (3) Release grip on magnet. If you see Elvis, do not attempt to capture him. Ring the ELVIS ALERT hotline. (FREE CALL) FOR FURTHER INFORMATION ABOUT FRIDGE MAGNETS VISIT OUR WEBSITE: www.fridgemagnet.com. **************************************** Tokyo. FLASHPOINT: NORTH KOREA! The war of words between NK and the West continues, with a NK General warning his staff to prepare for "the final showdown" with the US. The US has responded to threats from NK officials of "total war" by warning the regime the US was ready to meet any threat. While some observers say the exchange has been tantamount to a declaration of war, other statements from the US have attempted to calm the situation, saying the Bush Admin is still committed to a diplomatic solution of differences between the 2 countries. The increasing volume from NK this wk followed announced US plans to send more B-52's and B-1's to Guam and the S Korean peninsula. NK has regularly engaged in war talk since the current "nuclear crisis" began in Oct, 2002 after it admitted, according to the US, it had a clandestine and on-going nuclear weapons program. The official NK newspaper, Rodong Sinmum, announced yesterday the buildup of US troops in the region would eventually lead to war on the Korean peninsula, and that would inevitably lead to nuclear war. The NK govt is believed to already have 1 or 2 nuclear weapons. Satellite photos last m took what are believed to be pictures of the movement of fuel rods that could be processed to produce half-a-dozen more plutonium-based bombs. In a related move Japan, a possible NK nuclear target, began prep for the launch of its first spy satellite, an important tool in dealing with threats coming out of P'yongyang. The spy sat program went into overdrive after NK tested a long-range missing in 1998 by firing it over Japan, into the Pacific. Tokyo had been given no warning of the test. One of 2 proposed satellites arrived at the Tanegashima space centre yesterday under tight security. It's set for launch in Mar. Seoul/Washington. US Pres George W Bush Jr says "all options" are on the table to end the stand-off with North Korea, which has warned of nuclear war if it's attacked. Mr Bush said he hopes the problem can be solved diplomatically, stressing the US had no intention of attacking NK next. And people had worried about Mr Bush's inexperience with foreigners in the lead-up to the Presidential elections! US aircraft and warships have been put on alert for deployment in the W. Pacific to "deter" N. Korean in the event of an attack on Iraq. Previously, Deputy Sec of State Armitage had announced there was no chance the US would sign a non-aggression pact with the Communist regime in return for its nuclear disarmament. Boston. From the Raving Boston Globe. [A plagiarised version of this text was also found on Iraq's Home Page, with some names changed. Spelling and grammatical errors identical to the original gave it away]. Like the communist cause before it, the Islamic cause must be crushed. It will not end with Iraq. The toppling of Saddan Hussein will make the Middle East a better place, free a nation that has suffered unspeakable cruelty and shame the illiberal "peace movement" that even now counsels appeasement and wilful blindness. Iraq should have been liberated during the first Gulf War; it cannot happen soon enough. America's mission now is to kill the Islamic cause. It can do so only by killing the tyrannies that sustain it -- by demonstrating that Islamism leads not to triumph but to defeat, not to power but to degradation. Crush the Islamists' dreams and America and its allies crush the terrorism it feeds. We made a good start in Kabul and Kandahar. Next stop: Baghdad. Tel Aviv. PEACENIKS! A growing number of Israelis would rather go to jail than do army duty in the occupied territories. Because of the draft, they get all types in the Defence Forces. For Jews the Army has in the past been the great leveller, where law professors lug canon shells and artists command armoured cars. But there's more than disquiet in the ranks now. Staff Sgt Boner is a lowly tank gunner. He's a Bertolt Brecht fan. He's also among 520 reservists that have signed an open letter saying they will no longer serve in the West Bank and Gaza. According to a report this wk from the London-based War Resisters' International, since Oct 2000 151 "selective objectors" have served jail terms up to 28 days for defiance of the Israeli military, some of them several times. Last month the refusenik category took an ironic twist with "Lt A" DISMISSED from service for refusing to gather info that might lead to deaths of innocent civilians. While refuseniks say the case raises questions over a soldier's obligation to refuse illegal orders, Maj Alon, one of the signatories of the "Courage to Refuse" letter say the real question is over the whole occupation operation that he describes as "illegal and wrong". He said while any true Zionist patriot should be willing to defend against real attacks on Israel, the humiliation, repression, expulsion and starvation of 3 mn civilians is quite a different matter. The Maj has recently served 21 days for refusing to go back to duty in the occupied territories. The Maj said the last time he was there, his unit "evicted" a family in the middle of the night and demolished a house that had an illegal balcony. The next day they were ordered to fire tank shells into private homes. Several people were injured. That was the last straw for the Maj. Elsewhere, 220 school leavers have also signed up to refuse military service in the territories. If charged, they face more severe penalties than reservist refuseniks. Best known among the leavers group is 20 yo Yoni, who's so far served 7 prison sentences, a total of almost 200 days in jail. Yoni's behaviour is particularly galling to his hawkish uncle, "BB" Netanyahu. NY. Snowfalls have pushed war off the front pages. NBC reports a "winter blast" has struck the E and mid-W USA. Reporters in Washington say 2 in of snow per hr is falling there, with a lot of schools closed down. They expect 10 in in S Jersey before the end of the storm. In NY "annoying storms" have been plaguing residents all winter. From 6 to 10 in are expected around the state, with many schools closed. Reporters say for those with snowed-in driveways, there are plenty of kids available to do the shovelling. 100s of accidents have been reported. Across the mid-W 6 to 10 in are expected in heavier areas. Rome. Defence Sec Don Rumsfeld is in Italy today. He'll then go on to Germany. He's still trying to rally support from 10 of the 15 members of the EU that didn't sign up behind the US in a war against Iraq. In Europe, Mr Rumsfeld is known for his argument that an attacker has the advantage because they have the initiative, and defenders are paralysed waiting to learn when and from which direction an attack will come. Perhaps that logic explains the present American domestic alarm system. As well at the current US nuclear weapons strategy. Mr Rumsfeld told doubting Italians the momentum for war is building around the world. Elsewhere, UN inspectors chief Hans Blix said Saddam seems to be co-operating, but needs to do more. In the US, President Bush predicted Saddam "would play a last-minute game of deception". "Saddam will be stopped", he added. Observers say the weapons chief carries more weight in Italy than Mr Rumsfeld. Or Mr Bush. Houston. SHUTTLE. NASA is examining high resolution photos taken 1 min before Columbia broke up. A USAF camera caught the shuttle as it over-flew an undisclosed location. It's reported the photos show "lots of structural damage" to the left wing. One commentator said they showed "a huge jagged area on the forward edge of the wing", that was easily visible 60 sec before the break-up. It's understood the problem area was close to where the wing joined the spacecraft's fuselage, co-incidentally in "roughly same area" where foam struck the wing at launch. NASA reported it has so far collected an amazing 1,300 images from members of the public and other sources. Eyewitness statements have been taken from pilots flying during the minutes Columbia was descending over California and Texas. NASA is also trying to "make sense" of the last 30 sec of data transmitted from the shuttle. The Agency is reportedly "still looking for a key part" that "broke in flight". But criticism continues to flood in, too. NASA has revealed the one camera on the ground at takeoff that had a view of Columbia's left wing was too out of focus to see any damage. Florida. NASA is reportedly seeking a top-secret object associated with doomed shuttle Columbia. In and around Bronson, TX, 100s of state troopers and federal agents are reported to be searching for a mystery device that's believed to have fallen from the shuttle during the break-up over Texas last wk. There was no indication why the area around Bronson was being targetted. Searchers were given a photo of a faceplate of the device that was marked "Secret Government Property". A Houston newspaper said the device handled encrypted communication between the ground and the spacecraft. It said the device was in a category that normally allowed handling only under the highest clearances. State troopers have told reporters to keep their distance and photographers would be asked to leave if the object was found. Elsewhere, NASA has expanded the powers of investigators. A day after NASA backed away from a theory that "foam" may have been linked with Columbia's break-up, officials at the Shuttle Mishap Investigation said they would not be ruling out any possibility as an explanation of the disaster. L.A. The Stones gave their Global Warming concent last night. Opening for the aging group was an aging Bill Clinton. Apparently Jerry Springer was not available. The crowd seemed to like it all. Jordan. NBC reports for the first time the UN has been allowed to interview an Iraqi biologist. Unsupervised talks lasted for 3.5 hrs. But the UN reports the scientist "seems to have been coached". It is still "not clear" if Iraq will allow U2 spy flights to check suspicions weapons sites. Messages out of Baghdad have been mixed. The local US military say there are currently about 113,000 troops gathered around Iraq and that number will increase to 200,000 over the next 2 wks. Countries bordering Iraq are closing their borders in preparation for war. It's expected 1000s of refugees will attempt to cross into Turkey, Iran and Jordan when US bombing begins. Some experts say up to 1.5 mn could flee if WMD are used. In Jordan there are protests against the war, with most opposed to what they see as a US oil grab. There is also fear of economic damage caused by a war. Jordan gets 1/2-price oil from Iraq. 3 patriot missile batteries arrived in Jordan today, in case Saddam launches Scud attacks. The the co-operation of the local govt is limited. Jordan is refusing to be used as a launch-pad for US attacks on its neighbour. Canberra. PM John Howard flies to Washington today for talks with Pres Bush amid increasing controversy at home and O/S about a possible war with Iraq. Yesterday the PM defended Labor's right to hold independent views on Iraq. Opp'n leader Simon Crean and the US's top diplomat in Aus continued to clash over whether anyone was allowed to criticise US policy on Iraq. Mr Howard is on the 1st leg of a trip that will take him to the US, UK, EU and Indonesia. Washington. Pres G W Bush Jr has urged the UN Sec Council to "make up its mind" and soon about confronting the Evil Regime. After presenting evidence over the past few wks on the Iraq WMD program, the Admin has moved to add reminders of Iraq's continuing human right's violations. Mr Bush warned reluctant world leaders the US won't wait for long before going it alone. Remember: it's not about OIL; it's about HUMAN RIGHTS! Caracas. Very long lines have re-appeared at Venezuala's petrol stations, indicating Pres Chavez's efforts to restart the country's oil industry amid a months-long general strike are failing. After the strikers tried unsuccessful to oust the Pres, workers in all industries except the country's oil conglomerate have returned to work. 1000s of employees at the state-owned Petroleos de Venezuela have either refused to return to their jobs or have been fired by the Pres. Bogota. An Air Force chopper searching for missing Social Protection Min Juan Luis London has come under fire. Officials say the chopper struggled to return to base but the 5 crew were unharmed. The incident has hampered a search for the missing plane that was carrying the Minister over the C of the strife-torn country. Meanwhile, more helicopters and 2 military aircraft have resumed the hunt for missing 48 yo London and 4 others who disappeared yesterday. Melbourne. A lawyer estimates the Fed Govt faces a $50 mn blow-out by continuing to fight compensation claims surrounding the 1964 Voyager disaster. Australia's worst peacetime military disaster happened 10 Feb 39 years ago, and saw destroyer HMAS Voyager killed by the 2nd-hand carrier HMAS Melbourne. The accident occurred during a training exercise off Jervis Bay on the NSW S coast. The Melbourne sliced the Voyager in 2, claiming the lives of 82 seamen. Injured survivors have been battling the Govt for compensation ever since. Istanbul. A man pretending a stack of candles were dynamite took 3 hostages abort a Turkish airliner at Istanbul airport earlier today. The man was subdued without violence after less than an hr. Most passengers aboard the Airbus 310 had already left the aircraft when the man threatened crew with the phoney dynamite. Police say they're not sure of the motive of the 28 yo hostage-taker. Melbourne. Cool weather and light rain is helping Vic firefighters, however several towns remain under threat. 2 new fires have broken out ahead of the main front, which has burned out nearly 1 mn ha of farm and forest in the state's NE over the past m. One fire, 12 km N of Tolmie, near Mansfield, has been contained. Another, 40 km N of Bairnsdale, is burning in inaccessible hill country. Jerusalem. Israeli PM Ariel Sharon has held his first peacetalks with Palestinian leaders in nearly a year. Political sources say the PM met snr officials to discuss an end to more than 2 y of violence. They say Sharon met Leg Council speaker Ahmed Korei on Wed to discuss ways to reach a ceasefire and resume formal talks. Korei has declined to confirm the meeting, but other Palestinian officials say the meeting did take place. Sydney. Sabotage has reportedly emerged as a possibility in the Waterfall rail disaster last wk. The SMH says evidence of "crushed rock" was found on the tracks close to where the train ran off the rails. The paper says "mounds of blue metal", used as ballast to bed the tracks, were discovered by CityRail inspectors within hrs of the crash that killed 7 people and injured dozens. A source says it looks as if "someone" hit the ballast with a sledgehammer and one line of inquiry is focusing on sabotage. New Delhi. Afraid to be left out of Armageddon, strained ties between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan have nose-dived today after India accused Pakistan's top diplomat of engaging a Kashmiri couple to carry funds to separatist groups in the disputed region. India's Jr Home Min Id Swamy warned the arrests will have "deep repercussions" after investigations are completed. The Pakistan diplomat, Dep High Commissioner Jalil Abbas Jeelani, says the allegations are part of an Indian propaganda campaign. New Delhi. Pakistan and India have expelled each others' diplomatic envoys. Sydney. DOPE CITY! 4 people have been arrested after police seized $millions worth of cannabis plants during raids around the state. Police say officers from the State Crime Command Drug Squad have conducted "a number of raids" on properties in Ellenborough, Kempsey, Valla, Kew and Bowraville, on the NSW N coast since Mon. More than 6,000 plants were seized, with an estimated street value of more than $10 mn. London. One of Brit's most prolific burglars has been jailed for 7 y by a London Court after admitting to nearly 600 break-ins over a period of 18 m. Martin Moloney's crime wave against elderly residents often saw him travel 100s of km in a hunt for the helpless prey he specialised in. Often posing as a plainclothes officer, the burglar flashed a fake ID, telling short-sighted victims, some in their 90s, he was investigating a crime. Canberra. Much-needed rain is forecast for CBR today. The Bureau says there's the chance of a shower or two, with the possibility of a thunderstorm. Thunderstorms yesterday broke a 36-day dry spell for the nation's capital. CBR airport received 5.4mm of rain after the storm hit. London. PM Tony Blair said he wants to cut asylum seekers coming to Britain in half. The UK govt has announced moves to tighten up its rules. Official figures to be released soon are expected to show the number of people seeking asylum in Brit were a record 100,000+ last y. The HO announced plans to tighten rules, introducing visa requirements to those who have reached other safe states. Refugees from troubled former colonies seeking asylum in Brit have been using the Chunnel and a "French connection" to arrive in the UK in recent years. Sydney. More than 30 hippies were arrested by police last night after they tried to demonstrate against the Federal Govt's asylum-seeker policies. About 150 protesters and dozens of police practised scrum techniques for an hr outside a venue for Lib Party fund-raising in Cockle Bay. The protest turned ugly when police attempted to push protesters downstairs from the 2nd-floor venue, and back along a narrow terrace in the nightlife precinct. Berlin. As predicted in the Bible, a flock of hungry ravens has killed 19 innocent sheep that were grazing on snow-covered fields in S Germany. Video rentals of Hitchcock's famous 1963 thriller have gone through the roof. Shepherd Juergen Fritz said there was a lot of snow in the region and the birds were hungry. Under police interrogation, Fritz also admitted seeing the film. Sydney. An online survey conducted by consumer rag Choice has found most people want to get rid of corks and have twist-cap wine bottles. This is news? Washington. Pres G W Bush has raised the national paranoia level to orange, the Number 2 spot in the nation's Technicolor terror scheme. AG John Ashcroft cited an "increased liklihood" that Al Qaeda terrorists would attack Americans somewhere in the world, possibly in the US where many live. Mr Ashcroft linked the anxiety to the Muslim Haj. He said major concentrations of domestic Americans such as appt buildings, hotels, malls and other unsecured sites were all potential targets. WATCH OUT! The US had been on "yellow" since an unknown domestic bio-terrorist started sporadic operations. Canberra. Doctors have hit out at the Office of the Status of Women for allowing a tobacco giant to sponsor a conference on domestic violence. The company was one of 4 for the Breaking Point conference in Mel yesterday. AMA Pres Kerry Phelps said it was ironic the tobacco company was allowed to sponsor the seminar when smoking-induced disease was one of the most serious health issues now affecting women. Perth. Fiona has lashed Christmas Is, dumping 160 mm of rain in revenge for being upgraded to a category 3 storm. It passed 200 km SSE of Australia's remote outpost yesterday, but still managed to uproot trees and cause localised flooding. The 2,000 residents have been alerted to the possibility of rockfalls. Melbourne. A campaign is underway to get idiots off the 000 emergency line. Ads will appear in newspapers around the country today. Now that's just GOTTA work! The campaign is a joint initiative of Telstra, the ACA and emergency services. It aims "to remind people" of when to use the number and what happens when you do. ACA reps said the 000 number is about saving lives, and it's therefore essential for all Australians to understand when and how to use it. Those people complaining about long lines at ticket counters or lost puddy tats should use the emergency Kiribilli number, preferably at 3 am. It'll help keep the lines clear in case of a terrorist emergency. Canberra. Australia's entire force of 2,000 troops is to be sent to the Gulf ahead of a "possible" war with Iraq. It's expected to arrive before the decision over a new UN resolution that could authorise an attack on Saddam Hussein. The decision was intended to increase pressure on the evil Iraqi regime, said Def Min Hill. 1,000 Aussie troops are already in the Gulf or on the way, according to Head Honcho Gen Cosgrove. New deployments include Navy divers, chem warfare teams, and Schnook helichoppers. Sen Hill said it would be "unlikely" more than 2,000 troops would be deployed before war was declared. He declined to say where Aussies would be stationed, although it's believed they would initially link up with the massive US deployment in N Kuwait. Translation: the Yanks are running things, why are you asking me? The whining Opp'n said the "forward deployment" of Australia's largest force since Vietnam would undermine the UN decision process and is leaving Australia and the region exposed to expected terrorist attacks. A 2nd UN Resolution against Iraq will only be considered after next wk, when UN weapons inspectors report on whether they have found anything more than 17 empty chem shells in abandoned Iraqi warehouses. Elsewhere, the Dept of For Af and Trade have asked all Aussies still in Iraq to leave ASAP because of the "rapidly deteriorating security situation". PM John Howard is continuing to declare the deployment is only conditional. He said again yesterday he'd call Cabinet and inform them if an official request to assist the US war effort arrives. "And then we will have a quick meeting and make a decision", said the PM. He was looking to the right at the time. Melbourne. A police investigation into corruption allegations against drug squad detectives is to be widened. Chief Comm Nixon (no relation) has authorised another 20 investigators to join the Ceja taskforce, that is presently investigation 80 allegations of serious corruption against drug squad members. 2 serving members and 1 former member of the Squad have already been charged with trafficking. Snr police say the investigation will probably continue until next y. It would delay about 12 complex court cases related to drugs and trafficking that have been adjourned until the taskforce winds up. The DPP said it didn't want the cases to proceed because drug squad detectives would be key witnesses in most of them. Among the allegations are claims the drug squad traffics in $mn's in drugs, has stolen large amounts of cash from suspects, allowed informants to operate normally, fabricated evidence against suspects and, in one case, removed evidence from one premises and moved it to another where it was "officially" discovered. Sydney. Dozens of Aussie women have become pregnant after doctors bungled the installation of a contraceptive. Insurers face pay-outs of $mn's because of the bungles. In the 2 y since the implant contraceptive hit the market in Aus, 47 women using it have become pregnant. Lawyers for complainants say they are proceeding in 5 cases in Qld and NSW. Kenya. GREAT CLIMBING GIMPS! An Aussie climber sans legs is reportedly just days away from writing his name in the record books for climbing Kilimanjaro. Melb's Warren Macdonald, 37, who lost both legs in a Qld climbing accident, is reportedly ahead of schedule on the 5.9 km climb that's expected to take him 15 days. Macca is being assisted by Hamist Lugonda, a Tanzanian farmer who was born without arms. Canberra. The ACCC has started legal proceedings against multinational drug companies for ALLEGEDLY price-fixing and collusion in the sale of vitamins. The consumer watchdog is taking Swiss, German and Japanese companies to court saying executives had conspired between 1991 and 1995 to sell ag and retail vitamins for inflated prices. The charges also say the companies had arranged to divide up world markets for vitamin C. The ACCC has previously acted over animal vitamins A & E, winning a record $26 mn penalty against Roche, BASF and Aventis in 2001. Canberra. As the Peace Truck pulled up in the forecourt outside Parliament house, many wondered whether any Liberal MP's would jump on board. While peaceniks claim 2 Liberal members, Peter Lindsay and Teresa Gambaro, both from Qld, neither turned up. The Parliamentarians for Peace rally fell flat with only members from Labor and the minor parties attending. While Coalition MP's had arrived in CBR on Mon night with "a collection of worries", observers were amazed it was controversial for an Aussie politician to endorse peace. Several of the more outspoken Labor peaceniks, including Carmen Lawrence, are set to speak at the low-profile "main committee" next wk. So far debate in the Parliament about involvement with the US in Iraq II has clocked up 17.5 hrs of gas-bagging, almost as long as the time used when Hawke was committing to Iraq I in 1991. Another 50 speakers are set to take the podium in one or other Chamber next wk. Canberra. While all eyes are on WWIII, Parliament is set to discuss a number of other critical issues in this session. BUDGET: The May 13 Budget will be delivered in increasingly-uncertain times. With Mr Costello continuing a battle to get key leg'n to reduce welfare eligibility and payments from *last* y's Budget passed, he'll be under pressure to bring the promised surplus in this y. BUSINESS: The failure of HIH and disturbing evidence from the enquiry will force a significant re-think of prudential supervision. The govt is expected to pursue changes to audit and accounting procedures in the meantime. COMMUNICATIONS: The full sale of Telstra is slipping away. The review on the rural telephone service is a top priority. Alston will be negotiating with key MP's over foreign ownership rules. More money for the ABC may be one trade-off. Kroger may be replaced soon. The Senator is also set to review funding for 15 institutions that receive $492 mn in tax money. A cost/attendance trade-off is planned. DEFENCE: The govt wants to rationalise ship-building but allay concerns about Williamstown. It wants to privatise defence logistics. There will be close scrutiny over purchases of the Joint Strike Fighter and troop-lift choppers. EDUCATION: A review of higher ed is set to recommend sweeping reforms for the way the sector is funded. More full-fee places and other price increases are in the cards. ENVIRONMENT: With greenies and brownies squeaking about some nefarious plot to control the world's water supplies, an argument between the States and CBR is brewing over who controls Aussie rivers. Water rights and compensation for farmers is on the agenda. HEALTH: It's crunch time for Health Min Patterson, with the AMA screaming for more Medicare money. The govt faces a decline in bulk-billing and a doctor shortage outside the cities. Rising health insurance continues to embarrass the govt, as it continues to prop up the indy with $2 bn pa in subsidy payments. REFUGEES: Imm Min Ruddock is moving to close some detention centres. He's also facing an uphill struggle with Iran and other countries to force or trick refugees to return home. WORKPLACE: The on-going war between Mr Abbott and unions is set to continue. PM: Will he stay or will he go? Canberra. The Federal Budget was $3 bn in the red at the 1/2-way point, but the govt has promised to deliver a $2.1 nm surplus by July. Minchin released the latest Big Snapshot yesterday. The mid-point deficit was in line with expectations, and attributed to lower tax revenue and higher winter spending on medicine and aged-care. While the continued drought and defence spending could see more red ink, tax income increases toward the end of the FY. Observers say it'll be tight, but the surplus might be deliverable. Canberra. The Aus govt is still attempting to bring a people-smuggler to trial in this country for the drowning of 350 refugees. Just Min Ellison said Aus had submitted a "provisional arrest" request to the Indon govt for Abu Qassey. The people-smuggler is presently in an immigration detention centre in Jakarta. Last wk Indon Just Min Yusril said Aus has not made a "serious attempt" to extradite Qassey. He said he'd seen the request from Ellison but had a "better offer" from authorities in Egypt, but was unable to say what charges they would file. Last wk Egyptian Amb to Indon Saad said Egypt would also prosecute Qassey, whose real name is Mootaz Muhammad Husan, for crimes relating to the deaths of 353 people who drowned when an overloaded boat in transit to Australia foundered in international waters S of Indon. Melbourne. In the on-going row over ALLEGED financial mis-management at RMIT University, the real estate industry has accused the Uni of badly bungling the management of its $1 bn property portfolio. Leading indy figures say the Uni has failed to make good use of its prime Melb sites. An RMIT official said yesterday all its properties were "under review", including the CUB site on Swanston/Victoria. They also confirmed the sale of a 102 ha site in Bundoora, once earmarked for a technology park. Neil Spiers said RMIT was one of the biggest property holders in the Melb CBD. Sites like the CUB are "gateways" that RMIT has held on to for years, without doing anything with them. Other experts say the Uni's property mgt needs careful public scrutiny. Moscow. SAINT RASPUTIN! A rift has opened up in the Russian church over moves to canonise the "mad monk", Rasputin. The grass-roots movement, that the Orthodox church has tried in vain to quash, is spear-headed by a growing revisionist movement within the church. Believers say Grigori Rasputin, a notorious Siberian dissolute with "close personal ties" to elements of the the Russian royalty, was the victim of a "Jewish Conspiracy". Rasputin was shot, drugged, strangled, beaten and drowned to death in 1916 by 2 royalists who thought he'd become a little too tied up in Empress Alexandra. The movement also claims Mr Terrible, who killed 100s of priests and even his own son, was a humble, sensitive and deeply religious man who showed great mercy to his enemies. A campaign to canonise the mad monk began in the 1990s with the distribution of pamphlets. It then caught on, esp. in rural areas. The movement is now supported by 100s of newspaper articles and web sites. Last week the Church spoke out against the campaign, saying it could cause a schism and, ultimately, a "dangerous sectarian mentality". Church historians say the movement sprang out of strong anti-Semitic sentiments that grew out of a brand of Orthodoxy mired in peasant superstitions popular at the turn of the 19th C. London. Cash-strapped uni students are being urged to use their heads to make money. As billboards. An ad agency is offering up to $250 a week for students to turn over the vast expanse of wilderness above their eyebrows to the betterment of mankind, and walk around in public for at least 3 hrs a day sporting brand names. So far, a TV channel and magazine have signed up to have their colourful logos transferred to various noggins. Brisbane. BLOODY QUEENSLAND HIPPIES! Community rallies across Qld today have voiced disapproval of a war with Iraq. Small protests were heard in Ipswich, Bundaberg and even Townsville. At West End in inner Bris, Qld Greens convener Drew Hutton told protesters he's surprised at the level of concern over Australia's support of the US. He said the peaceniks were a grassroots movement bigger than any anti-war movement he's ever seen. ------------------------------------------------- 09 Feb 2003. Washington. Pres Bush is bracing the US for a war with Iraq, saying in a radio address the country must be prepared to act if the UN backs down. Mr Bush says the US, along with a "growing coalition of nations", will take whatever action is necessary to defend the US and disarm the Iraqi regime. The comments came a day after the Admin ordered a 5th aircraft carrier to the Gulf. More than 110,000 US troops have already gathered in the region. It's reported 400 allied aircraft and 20 warships are also ready for action in the not-necessarily-war. Williamsburg. THAT UPPITY UN! UN Sec Gen Kofi Annan has warned the US against making war against Iraq on its own. Mr Annan [hate-filled marxist?] said collective action under a UN umbrella would have greater legitimacy and a better chance of success. In an address at the William and Mary College, VA, the Sec Gen said force should only be used as a last resort. Washington. A new poll shows 60% of Americans would support a US strike on Iraq even if UN weapons inspectors fail to find evidence of Iraq's WMD programs. The Newsweek poll also shows 69% feel the evidence presented by Colin Powell at the UN last wk was "at least somewhat convincing". Pres Bush's approval rating was up 6 points to 61% from a prev poll in Jan. Washington (SBS). GET OUT OF TOWN! A rumour doing the rounds of various halls of power has it the Bush Admin will make a final 48 hr offer for Saddam Hussein & family to get out of town before a final US assault is launched, sometime toward the end of Feb. San Francisco. BLOODY CHEATS! A Cal-based academic has complained a British dossier on the Crimes of Iraq was copied from a report he wrote, down to grammatical and spelling errors. Ibrahim al-Marashi is a research fellow at the Monterey Inst of Internat'l Studies' Centre for Nonproliferation Studies, near SF. While the Brit version in certain sections was "extremely close" to his, Mr Marashi told The Chronicle that other parts had been substantially changed, "distorting" certain figures, he said. The UK report said Saddam's private militia contained 30,000 to 40,000 members while Mr Marashi's report showed only 15,000. The Brit govt later acknowledged it had lifted large sections of its report from magazines and journals. "The overall objective was to give the full picture without compromising intelligence sources", said a govt rep. Vatican. BLOODY CONSERVATIVE OLD CATHOLICS! Pope John Paul has called on the world not to resign itself to war. He said Christian teaching could not endorse the idea of a preventative war. Other Vatican officials also insist none of the conditions for a "just war" obtain. The Pope's comments came ahead of a flurry of diplomatic efforts from the Vatican to avert armed conflict in Iraq. Elsewhere, the US has launched a religious counter-offensive, calling up a coterie of conservative Catholic intellectuals to convince the Pope and his advisors to change their minds. Observers say this is as likely to be as funny as the run-up to WW3 gets. Mr Bush just doesn't understand the nature of the institution he's dealing with. And the Bush lobbyists are apparently in the same boat. The Church regards itself as the guardian of The Just War going back to the Dark Ages. And it's not going to cede that to the Oval Office! More irony comes in where the same lobbyists have previously been seen in the vanguard to convince "liberal" Americans of Papal Infallibility. Mick Novak, one-time leftie now known as apostle for globalism, flew into Rome at the invite of US Amb to the Vatican, Jim Nicholson. Novak is set to give a little talk arguing that in a world where globalism allows rogue states to develop WMD, a pre-emptive war falls under the "Just" heading. Because there's no time to think. An arguable case, but with prospects for changing minds at the Vatican near nil. Pres of the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, Archb Renato Martino, challenged Mr Bush last wk over US policy on the Middle East. "We already have a war. Why don't you stop that one before starting another one?" Berlin. BLOODY OLD EUROPE! Germany and France are working on an "initiative" to try to avert war. The plan would involve sending UN peace-keepers to Iraq, along with additional weapons inspectors. A German news magazine said the plan will be presented to the Security Council next wk. Citing a govt source the magazine said the plan calls for a tripling of UN inspectors who would be backed up by UN military support. The plan would also call for tighter export restrictions on Iraq, and neighbouring countries would sign up to prevent oil smuggling. A German govt rep acknowledged the govt was working on a "peaceful alternative" to an Iraqi war. News of the initiative came as America closed diplomatic contacts with Embassies in Baghdad, ordering all US citizens to leave the country. The US also severed all formal diplomatic links with Iraq, a move that normally precedes war. The State Dept warned Americans in Iraq there would now be no consular services available in the country. American diplomatic presence in other areas of the Middle E within Scud range of Iraq has also been removed. From the Whitehouse, Pres Bush continued to harden his rhetoric. "The UN Security Council has got to make up its mind soon as to whether or not its word means anything", he said. Canberra (Ch 7). WAR BY MARCH! Former Chief UN weapons inspector Richard Butler has predicted the US would launch a full-scale strike on Iraq by the first week of Mar, with or without UN backing. Mr Butler says he believes Pres George Bush Jr will proceed with military action even if the Sec Council fails to resolve the standoff over Iraq's human right's record. Mr Butler told reporters he suspected the US would go ahead with a unilateral attack at the end of Feb or the first wk of Mar. Sydney. Analysts expect a significant slump on Aussie markets now war plans seem sure to go ahead. It's believed markets will stay depressed until some kind of resolution emerges. Economists have put the cost of war to the US economy at anywhere between $US200 bn and $US1.2 trillion (some wag here wrote "billion"), with the US forced to occupy Iraq for 3 to 5 years after Baghdad falls. Bogota. Police and soldiers are combing the capital for suspects after a car bomb killed at least 32 and injured about 200 others. Police officials have warned the toll could rise because some people are still missing. Colombian VP Francisco Santos blamed leftist rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia for the attack. Bodies are still being pulled out of the rubble of the exclusive 9-story El Nogal nightclub. London. East London homes above a planned Chunnel rail link have been evacuated after a huge hole opened up, swallowing 3 gardens. Police say on-one was injured when the ground opened up under Stratford. However, a number of houses are teetering on the edge of a hole 25 m by 60 m. The hole opened up near a tunnelling project to build a new high speed rail link from London to Kent on the SE coast as part of a Channel Tunnel link between France and England. Gold Coast. SHARK! Following the death of an elderly swimmer from apparent shark bite, 3 large bull sharks have been caught in a Gold Coast lake. After a net was set across Burleigh Lk 3 sharks measuring up to 2.2 m were caught early today. The lake and surrounding canals were netted and baited by Dept of Prim Indy staff after a request from police. The body of 84 yo former Commonwealth Games bowler Bob Purcell with a shark bit on his leg was recovered by kayakers yesterday. He'd disappeared on his regular morning swim. Although some officials have called for a calm assessment of the situation, other reports say shark catching in the channels will continue for at least a wk. Residents have called for the govt to increase netting. Seoul. PLEASE DON'T CRY! S. Korea's ruling party says Washington appears to be getting "emotional" in its dealings with the Communistic N over the regime's nuclear crisis. A rep for the Millennium Democratic Party says his party is worried whether emotions have interfered with US efforts to resolve the crisis. The concern comes a day after US Pres George Bush Jr said he is considering all options on NK, indicating that Washington could consider military action. Melbourne. GANG BANG! A jump in violent crime on public transport and a growing belief travellers are in danger is reportedly deterring the public from using Vic trains. The Sunday Age says latest police number show rape, assault, robberies and other sex crimes reported on public transport rose 23% in 2001/02. Reported crimes against the person on public transport almost doubled in 5 y from 1173 to 2039 incidents. The crimes mostly occurred on trains and at suburban railway stations. Vic Police Chris Ferguson said "a high proportion" of assaults were the result of complaints between rival youth gangs that congregated at railway stations, rather than assaults on commuters. Assaults account for 2/3 of the crimes reported. Melbourne. New fires will draw firefighting resources away from the massive Bogong blaze in Vic's E today. Dept of Sust and Env rep Kevin Monk says fires near Cann R. and Orbost in the far E are believed to have been sparked by lightning 2 days ago. Mr Monk says firefighters will today work to contain the Cann River blaze in difficult terrain. Brisbane. New figures show Qld has the lowest rate of MV theft in Aus. Police Min Tony McGrady says a commonwealth report on govt services shows the rate of MV theft is 1/3 less than the national avg. The latest crime numbers from Qld Police also show a 16% fall in MV theft over the past y. Sydney. In the lead-up to possible war with Iraq, 88 people have been detained in the past wk for visa violations. The Imm Dept says many of the 59 men and 29 women who were detained since Jan 31 are believed to be working illegally. Others had overstayed their visas. Those detained include 24 Chinese nationals, 9 from S Korea, 7 from Thailand, and 4 from Malaysia. Reports didn't mention the other 44, because they were white. All 88 are being held at the Villawood Imm Centre while arrangements are made for their departure from Aus. Washington. Speaking from a bunker in Washington, the Aus PM said he had "no specific information" to warrant upgrading Australia's alert status. Mr Howard is in the US to listen to Pres George Bush Jr amid an "orange" alert for terrorist fears. The colour was changed after the US received intel suggesting a possible attack on soft targets such as appts or hotels, esp. in NY. While domestic terrorist alerts have sounded almost weekly since 9/11, none has yet eventuated. Canberra (Ch 9). YOU ARE OUR FRIENDS! US Nat'l Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice says the US has "no better friend" than Australia as it prepares to launch unilateral action against Iraq. Ms Rice told reporters America would listen to any requests to hold off on unilateral military action. However she indicated the US would disregard the requests because it was determined to disarm Saddam Hussein within weeks for his continued disregard of human rights. Sydney. THANK GOD! Vandals have reportedly destroyed a "fence post" at a Sydney beech that ALLEGEDLY looked like an apparition of the Virgin Mary. Police say vandals struck at Dolphin Point headland at Coogee overnight Fri. Randwick Mayor Dom Sullivan told the Sun-Herald it was a "despicable act". 1000s of people had been flocking to the beech to see the apparition which cynics believe is only a trick of the light. The fools! The image regularly appeared about 3 pm each day when sunlight fell on a distant fence. It isn't the first time the fence has been sabotaged. Earlier, a toilet bowel had been chained to the fence and railings were painted red and green. The woman who first brought the miracle to public attention is now trying to hide her identity, after receiving a number of email and other threats. On the "good" side, it's reported a "miracle" might happen, starting tomorrow, with Council workmen set to re-erect a new fence. They aren't promising the visual effect will be re-produced, but you can never tell... Cairo. Ka-boom! An explosion in an appt where fireworks were being made has killed 8 people. Police say 14 others have been injured in the blast, that ripped the side off a 3-story building in the Egyptian capital. The officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a man had rented a ground-floor appt where he stored large amounts of black powder to make fireworks. Police say the blast was apparently caused by the powder, but there are presently no clues what sparked it off. Melbourne. A 3-day blitz by motorcycle cops in inner Melb has netted 1,000 motorists. The operation focused on the CBD and inner suburbs of Prahran, St Kilda and S Melb. Police issued infringement notices to 973 motorists for offences ranging from speeding to talking on mobile phones. Caracas. Opponents of Pres Hugo Chavez have marched through the streets of the capital in solidarity with oil company workers staging a 2-m strike. 100,000 demonstrators joined strikers from the state-owned oil company to show support for the shutdown aimed at crippling the country and forcing the Pres from office several months short of the 1/2-way point of his administration. A general strike in the world's Number 5 oil producer started Dec 2 crumbled last wk as businesses re-opened to stave off bankruptcy. Melbourne (The Age). AUSSIE SHOCK TROOPS! According to US plans, Aussie troops will form a highly-mobile force capable of dealing with WMD. Reprising their WWI role as shock troops, sources say Aussie officers have been "engaged in consultations" for months working through the US battle plans in detail. America was impressed by the ability of Aussie special forces to operate deep in enemy territory in Afghanistan, they said. The SAS would play a similar role in Iraq, backed-up by units of 4RAR if they found targets too big for the small SAS patrols to deal with. About 40 military personnel are presently in the US's Forward Command HQ in Qatar, while others are stationed in the Pentagon and at Central Command in Tampa, Fla. They are being "comprehensibly briefed" on the US battle plan and helping to "define the roles allocated to Australian units". While the Fed Govt continues to deny no final decision has been made, the US has allocated a position for Aussie forces that is set out in considerable detail. Defence sources said Aussie officers had been given "a very clear understanding" about how the Americans planned to fight the war on Iraq. Despite claims the war must be over by the Iraqi summer, sources said US commanders were prepared to fight in any season, but expected to attack with such overwhelming force the war would be over by April. If the US did fight at the height of local summer, it expects to shift operations to night time where night vision and targeting through dust and smoke would give it an overwhelming technological advantage. Washington. US and allied forces plan to jump over Saddam's outer defences and blast him out of his Baghdad HQ. According to defence sources the allies, including Aussie SAS and 4RAR troops, will strike directly at Pres Saddam's command and control centres in the Iraqi capital. Sat and elint evidence indicates Iraqi defences are based on a series of concentric circles around Baghdad and other population centres. Saddam's elite Republican Guard man the inner circles, with "lesser units" stationed on the outside. While there has been some evidence of preparations in those centres, there is no sign of redeployment elsewhere to meet US forces. Melbourne. Children and teens who are anxious about the prospect of Armageddon need to discuss their feelings with parents and teachers say psychologists. Dr Bretherton, Dir of Mel Uni Internat'l Conflict Resolution Centre, says it's important for adults to give children guidance about coping with impending doom and other global threats when they are constantly being exposed by the media to images of war. "It's very important we come to understand that we just can't protect children from what's going on in the world, because that are being bombarded with information", she said. Sydney. The discovery of "cartoons" in an aircraft toilet delayed a flight for 3 hrs at Singapore yesterday. Qantas has declined to discuss the nature of the drawings but an airline rep said that QF32 from Sing to Syd had been delayed at Changi airport after cleaners discovered "some drawings" in the 747's toilets. In other Qantas news, the company is to put a surcharge on credit card use. It will become the first major company to add the charge following changes to credit cards intro'd by the RBA. While the size of the charge hasn't been decided [!?] it will be intro'd in the next few weeks. Both Visa and Mastercard have a "no surcharge" clause in contracts with companies. Visa is fighting the RBA changes in court. Melbourne. THE PROPHET MOTIVE. KFC has turned culturally sensitive. The Fawkner branch of the chicken empire has taken a leaf from recent moves in French cuisine and is offering Halal Colonel's secret recipe and chips. Mgr Ronif Hana said persons of the Muslim persuasion were coming from miles around for the odd drumstick -- even Dandenong. Fawkner KFC is serving Halal burgers, too. And bacon is off the menu every Monday. The chicken and chips are deep-fried in veggie oil. But whose isn't these days? Mr Hana says the move is seeing a Big Spinoff with a 50% increase in Monday takings. Melbourne. RMIT Uni has announced it will achieve a $14.6 mn surplus, despite a horror FY in 2002 due to unexpected financial losses and computer systems failure. In March last y, when serious problems with the uni's student records and timetable system emerged, RMIT was forecasting a $16 mn profit. But by the end of the FY that had been replaced by a $3 to $5 mn loss. The turn-around was put down to attempts to repair the Academic Management System. VC Dunkin told The Age she was confident the uni would see a positive result this y, even against on-going costs associated with the AMS. She said the Council had set aside $15.8 mn for repairs to the system and still calculated the budget would be $14.6 mn in the black. Adelaide. A rep for Afghan asylum-seekers believes Fed Govt policy is increasing the risk of suicide among many of his countrymen that fear being forced to return to Afghanistan. Last wk a 46 yo man on a temp protection visa was found hanged in his shared home at Murray Bridge. Hasan Varasi, who acted as a go-between during the Jan 2002 hunger strike at Woomera prison, said a recent letter received by Afghan refugees around Aus contained an offer of a "repatriation package" and was a likely factor in the man's death. The offer ran to about 20 pages indicating refugees had until July to accept a $2,000 offer from the Fed Govt. There were also "powerful suggestions" that their attempt to seek refugee status would not succeed. Washington. PM John Howard has received the red carpet treatment on his visit to Washington. The PM is visiting America and other allies to drum up support for the US position on Iraq. Mr Howard told reporters the world needed to condemn Iraq unanimously in order to avoid war. He said Aussie views matter at the Whitehouse, but went on to say "we shouldn't kid ourselves". The PM was looking to the right at the time. Mr Howard's claim had previously been endorsed by Conny Rice. Mr Howard also may have changed his position on retirement. Amid speculation at home he might step down during the y, the PM indicated today Saddam would go before he does. The PM said he would not "walk away" before Saddam is defeated. Back in Aus Wet Blanket Simon Crean said the PM could not commit troops and then not commit himself to the War Effort. "He had no choice", Mr Crean said. London. Britain is sending more troops to the Gulf. In moves to boost ground forces in the region, Brit is deploying 100s of tanks and a further 42,000 troops. Elsewhere, Don Rumsfeld was trying to rally support for the US in EU, but ran into tough opposition for war. The Def Sec had just given a talk urging support for the US position, but then had to sit through a boring lecture on democracy from the German For Min. Joskcha Fischer said although he could be convinced by evidence, he was not convinced by the US case for war against Iraq. He whined something about majority rule and public opinion. But who cares? Mr Rumsfeld said it was difficult for him to believe there was still scepticism about the US case from reasonable Cubans. Washington. TAX CUTS! PM Howard has held out the carrot of a tax cut this FY. Apparently at the suggestion of a powerful friend, Mr Howard said he'd think about raising the income level for battlers on the top tax rate from $60,000 to $75,000. Back in Aus Mr Crean said it would never happen. The Treas has already warned it would be a war budget, and there would be nothing left for families or anyone else, said the Opp'n Leader. ------------------------------------------------- 10 Feb 2003. NY. PEACE PACKAGE. NBC reports a peace package proposed by Europe has been approved by Russia. It was said to be "a major endorsement". The EU plan would see tripling of UN weapons inspectors who would be protected by UN peacekeeping troops while they performed their work. Russia said it would support the plan if it's presented to the UN during the week. There has been no official word from US about the plan, leaked to a German news magazine. Earlier, Mr Powell had been caught flat-footed when asked about the idea. Insiders say wording from the US Admin about the plan could not be mentioned on a TV show in family viewing time. But "stoopid" came close. American observers characterised it as "cunning politics" because it might see the US or UK forced to veto a solution proposed by another member of the Security Council. Some saw it as yet another EU plot to drive a wedge between the US and UK. Others said it was part of a long-term EU idea to use the UN to "balance US power in the world", always a bad idea. Omagh. 18 police officers have been injured when a drunken brawl turned into a riot involving around 200 people. Police say rioters tore up footpaths and knocked down a well to get stones to pelt officers in the religiously mixed town of Omagh. Police say the violence started with a drunken fight outside a nightclub and grew into wider unrest that continued for 2 hrs. Houston. NEW SHUTTLE DATA. Reports say data has emerged that indicates something hit or fell off the Columbia before it started re-entry. NBC reports debris was coming from the shuttle while it was "still in orbit". It says an object was detected in the vicinity of the spacecraft during the 2nd day of its mission, 2 wks before it was destroyed during landing. Other reports say USAF "radar" detected a mystery object near Columbia some time prior to its break-up. Debris continues to be discovered across the country. Today the blackened cover from a wheel-well was found in Cal. NASA Admin Sean O'Keefe was down-playing all particular theories, saying investigation was still underway. He said the crew had reported no special problems during the mission. In other reports, the "jagged edge" on Columbia's left wing, reportedly photographed by special USAF cameras 1 min before it disintegrated, was based on only very low-res images of the shuttle. Just a few dozen pixels wide. NASA indicated it was contacting experts to enhance the image to see if the "jagged leading edge" was real or just a digital artefact. Washington. US magazine Newsweek says the FBI believes Al Qaeda terrorists are determined to carry out new attacks against the US and its allies before or immediately after the beginning of an anticipate war with Iraq. Newsweek says the terrorist network has completed preparations for "multiple attacks", with spectaculars set for the US and possible Saudi Arabia. The magazine, quoting a classified FBI bulletin, says the terrorist network is delaying the attacks until just before or just after a war begins with Iraq. Salaimaniyah. Kurdish leaders have blamed a Muslim militant group believed to have links with Al Qaeda for the weekend slaying of a prominent Kurdish politician and 5 other people. The assassination of Gen Shawkat Haji Mushir, a snr official in the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan, underscored increasing tensions between the autonomous Kurdish administration and Ansar al-Islam. US Sec of State Colin Powell accused the group of harbouring Al Qaeda fugitives from Afghanistan. Brussels. As the most unpopular man in Europe, Don Rumsfeld, got on a plane to return to the US about 10,000 EU anti-war protesters told him goodbye. Mr Rumsfeld had earlier expressed his exasperation at Old European pig-headedness over his plans to attack Iraq. Other protests were reported around the world. 10,000 demonstrated outside the US Embassy in Jakarta. Other reports say 100,000 marched against the Iraqi war around Indonesia. It was the biggest demonstration against the US plan to use force against Saddam's regime. A large group of Turkish women also protested on the Iraqi border following a govt announcement the country would support an attack on Iraq. Washington. US Pres George Bush has mentioned "Al Qaeda" for the first time in weeks. Observers had noticed the Admin had put its previous "war on terrorism" on the back-burner while it concentrated on the "war on Saddam", with explicit mention of the organisation linked with the attack on the Twin Towers and Pentagon rating few mentions in the past y. Mr Bush said the US was winning the war against Al Qaeda, saying arrests in both Italy and Britain of suspected members of the shadowy organisation were really a win for the US. He said wins against Al Qaeda anywhere in the world were a win for his Admin's war against terrorism. Baghdad. Iraqi officials have given more key concessions to UN weapons inspectors as the major European states unveil a surprise last-minute challenge to US plans for military action. The developments have laid bare stark divisions across the Atlantic that are destabilising the Security Council and NATO. Meanwhile, German Def Min Peter Struck says France and Germany will present their own resolution to the Council within days. Baghdad. PROGESS! The UN says they've made "good progress" in talks with Iraqi officials. After 2 days of talks between weapons inspectors and Iraqi officials, Hans Blix says the regime "appears to be co-operating" in answering certain key questions about its weapons programs. Iraq is reported to have handed over 24 docs covering its anthrax, VX, and long-range missile development. It's also offered to set up a commission to look for more docs. The issue of U2 spy flights is still unresolved, but an answer is expected by the end of the wk. In other reports, a total of 5 key Iraqi scientists have been interviewed over banned weapons. And Iraq said it would encourage more scientists to come forward and talk to the UN. Go-between Gen Saadi said Iraq had "proved" they are complying with the UN. He said the Iraq side was "clean" but said the US and UK were not. Washington. PEACE PLAN. The US is reported to be "furious" over an EU peace plan that didn't include Washington in discussions. Mr Colin Powell has been talking the idea down, saying talk of more inspectors and no fly zones was a "diversion" and "not a solution" to the Iraqi crisis. The US Admin had made it clear military action is the only solution they are willing to entertain. Aussie PM John Howard and Mr Bush are due for more meetings today. It's reported they'll be planning to kill the EU plan and push forward for a 2nd UN Resolution authorising force. Mr Howard will also meet with Powell and Rumsfeld ahead of meetings today with the President. The PM told reporters that the chance of a peaceful resolution "doesn't look good". He called on the whole world to "say the same thing" to Iraq. Washington. PM Howard said he was "sceptical" about reports that progress has been made in talks between UN inspectors and Iraqi officials. Mr Howard said the international community had seen Saddam's tactics before and he doubted the regime was "fair dinkum". The PM said he was concentrating on the official report to be given to the UN on Feb 14. Mr Howard indicated he doubted the crisis would end peacefully. Washington. The US says it will "eventually" hold talks with N. Korea to help defuse a crisis over the nation's nuclear program. However, Sec of State Powell says the talks will only take place in a multilateral setting. Mr Powell says NK shouldn't dictate the terms under which talks take place, and other nations have a role to play. Pyongyang has warned the Korean peninsula would be "reduced to ashes" in a nuclear war with the US unless Washington calls off plans to boost its forces in the region. Canberra. The Aus govt has been accused of down-playing the prospect of civilian casualties in a war with Iraq. Opp'n For Af rep Kevin Rudd says For Af Min Alex Downer is ignoring strong evidence from the UN that war in Iraq will have a catastrophic impact on civilians. Mr Downer had said any war in the region won't involve carpet bombing that would pose a significant threat to civilians. Experts say any US attack would concentrate on sending thousands of bombs and hundreds of cruise missiles into Iraq over the space of several days. NY. The Dow closed down to 7864. Canberra. Bali victims are set to sue Al Qaeda money men in a class action. The Aussie group was apparently inspired by reports of 900 family and victims in the US moving to sue suspects, Islamic charities and other groups connected with funding Al Qaeda. Canberra. The confessions of 2 alleged Bali bombers reveal Aussies were targeted by the Oct 12 blasts because of the country's close ties with the US and involvement in E Timor. The ABC says Samudra, the alleged field cmdr of Jemaah Islamiah in the region, listed 13 reasons for the attack that killed nearly 200 people, 88 of them Australian. Samudra named Aus and Brit as being "close allies" of the US whose "barbarity" he said he opposed. Melbourne. Vic's firefighters and farmers are hoping rain will come to ease their problems. Just under 1 mn ha of forest and farm land has been burned out in the past m and the massive blaze is yet to be contained. A little rain yesterday helped fire fighters, who are working hard in cool, calm weather to create large areas of burnt-out land ahead of the slowly advancing fire front. Hot weather has been forecast for the middle of the wk and officials say they hope to contain large areas of the front before then. Sydney. A man in Sydney's W has been charged with possessing explosives by police investigating the destruction of ticket vending machines. The 20 yo was arrested yesterday after a search of his Berala home uncovered a range of explosives, detonators, replica firearms, ammunition and drugs. A police rep said police were investigating the vandalism of State Rail ticket vending machines in the Bankstown area when they discovered the weapons haul. Gold Coast. The GC's shark catcher has come up empty on the 2nd night of the hunt for the shark that killed 84 yo Bob Purcell. Mr Purcell was attacked on Sat during his regular early morning swim in Burleigh Lk. 3 large bull sharks were caught on Sun, but forensic exam cleared them of the attack. A check this morning found no sharks in the net or on baited hooks deployed by the Dept of Prim Industries. In related news, local govt is moving to crack down on people swimming in canals. Swimmers are urged to use netted ocean beaches for their swimming pleasure. Adelaide. Fed and state politicians will meet in Adel later this m to discuss plans to save the Murray R. Politicians will join community leaders and others at Parl House on Feb 25. SA Env Min John Hill says it will be an opportunity for the states and Commonwealth to agree on what work needs to be done with stakeholders to avert a looming ecological disaster in the Murray Darling Basin. Rome. 2 churches near Padua in NE Italy have been damaged in separate bomb attacks that slightly injured 1 nun. Police say no group has claimed responsibility for the explosions that went off within minutes of each other. The blasts shattered windows and splintered doors. Father Clemente Roazzato, the priest in charge at the San Prosdocimo church in Villanova di Camposampiero, 14 km from Padua, has labelled it a "terrorist act". Houston. NASA is investigating images picked up by UN military radar of a small object of unknown origin near the space shuttle Columbia on the 2nd day of its fatal 16-day mission. Rep Bill Jeffs says they only have raw data, and the don't know whether the object is space debris that passed by the shuttle or is something that came off the shuttle. He says it could simply be a piece of ice from shuttle wastewater, which is regularly expelled into space. The incident happened on the mission's 2nd day when Columbia was orbiting at 277 km. Melbourne. A truck driver has been seriously injured by a tyre that exploded while he was checking it in NW Vic. Rural Ambulance Vic says the 50 yo is believed to have pulled over at Lk Charm after a passing motorist indicated there was something wrong with his truck about 7 am. An amb rep says it appears that when the driver bent down to check the tyres, one of them exploded, causing severe lacerations and burns across this face. Canberra. Telstra says it has not reached a decision whether to move the coordination of its international telephone traffic from Aus to HK. Reach Communications, Telstra's Asian-based telco infrastructure joint venture, argues the proposal could boost its own profits. In the past, the Fed Opp'n has raised security concerns about such a move. Telstra's finance director John Stanhope told a Senate estimate committee that "no decision" had been made yet. ======================================== (*) Who is responcible for W.A.R.S? A small group of dedicated sandgrubbers, bannana-lickers and 5th columnists on the run from support payments and sundry legalese in their home countries. Mention us at any Uncle Harry's Suburban Bunker and get a 10% discount on cop-killers! All speling macroizated for correctitood by Mcrosotf Speelchek. *** The Leader has ordered a rubber gloves drill! ***