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

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See the Undeniable Evidence At:
http://www.evil-doers.org/evidence

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Selecting latest news stories and other data for you...
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Bomb em and let Allah sort it out.
        -- Texas cowboy due for deployment in the Gulf, Feb 2003.

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YOU DIDN'T ASK.
There is a walking trail in the Grand Canyon, CO, that locals call the
Grand Highway. Next time you're on holidays there take the trail, also
known as the Bright Angel Trail, from Grand Canyon Village and walk
the 16 km to Phantom Ranch.  The 1.36 km climb both ways will do you a
lot of good, aerobically. While you're there, mail a couple of
postcards to friends. You can tell them it's the only place in the
Western world mail is carried by mule.

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Lasso these lil dowgies, podnah! Yor either WITH us, or AGIN us!
23 Feb. Handel born, 1685.
24 Feb. Wilhelm Grimm born, 1786.
        Impeachment proceedings against Andrew Johnson begin, 1868.
        Gregorian Calendar Day.
25 Feb. Renoir born, 1841.
        National Day in Kuwait.
27 Feb. Richard the Lionheart crowned, 1189.
28 Feb. "French Connection" drug bust, Marseilles, 1972.
01 Mar. Sarah Goode, Sarah Osborne, and Tituba arrested on charges of
        witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts, 1692.  20 people were
        eventually hanged for congress with Saddam Hussein.
        Frederic Chopin born, 1810.
        Herman Hollerith born, 1860. Later moves to Binghamton, NY,
        and heads insignificant punched-card company.
        Jim Morrison is busted for obscenity in Miami, 1969.
        Samil Independence Movement Day in South Korea.
        St. David's Day, Cardiff.
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Fri, 21 Feb 2003.

Washington. BUSH ASKS FOR MORE TIME!  Pres Bush has called on Saddam
to give up weapons NOW, but wants more time to get the wording of a
new UN resolution right.  While the US has signalled it could attack
Iraq at any time, its efforts to open a 2nd front on Iraq in the N
have stalled.  The Turkish govt has put off a vote on accepting US
troops and use of bases as a springboard into N Iraq.  Meanwhile, US
troops and ships are stranded off the coast. The Turks want $bns in
payments, but the US has refused to increase its initial offer.  Now
Turkey says it wants an agreement in writing.  The Turkish Pres said
he could not take the US's word on a deal, even if it came from Pres
Bush.  The US Admin is reportedly "furious" about the stalling.
Elsewhere, Pres Bush has described opponents of the Iraqi war as "in denial".

London (Reuters). SHIFTING SANDS!  First it was the doomsday arsenal
he said Iraq was hiding from the world. Then it was Baghdad's alleged
links with Al Qaeda militants.  Now Brit PM Tony Blair is highlighting
the "moral case" for military action against Saddam Hussein -- his
"barbarous and detestable" record on human rights.  Critics say that
in jumping from one argument to another, Mr Blair [and other world
leaders] is building a case on shifting sands.  "The problem is it
looks like you're panicking", former FO adviser David Clark said. "It
looks like you think you haven't succeeded in persuading public
opinion, or that you feel that you're not persuaded by your own
argument".  The Blair Govt has tried to rally support for war at home
and abroad by presenting 3 "dossiers" on Iraq's WMD programs, human
rights record, and alleged program of concealment from UN inspectors.
But 2 of the documents have been roundly criticised by experts as the
work of Mosley Jones.

Ouagadougou. NEW VIRUS KILLS 401! A meningitis outbreak has reached
epidemic proportions in parts of Burkina Faso in NW Africa.  Health
officials say 401 have died so far, with at least 2,433 infected since
Oct.  Most have a new strain of the disease known as W135.  The Health
Ministry says a vaccination campaign will be carried out in the
worst-hit region in coming days.  The WHO has already sent 1/2 mn
doses of meningitis vaccine to the country to help tackle the new strain.

HK. BIRD FLU STRIKES!  [Having spotted the first cases of Summer flu
being brought in by some students...]  A man infected with a bird flu
has died in HK in the first-known death from the disease since it
killed 6 in 1997.  Authorities say the man and his 9 yo son, who is in
stable condition in hosp, could have contracted the H5N1 bird flu
virus while visiting relatives in China.  The boy's younger sister
died of pneumonia about the time to boy fell ill, and tests are being
done to establish if she too had contracted the bird flu virus.

South Korea subway toll hits 373
Seoul.  S Korea yesterday declared 5 days of mourning for victims of
the Daegu subway attack and designated the city a disaster area as the
official number of missing continued to rise.  Pres-elect Roh Moo-hyun
visited the site where at least 125 people died after a 56-yo man,
whom officials described as mentally ill, lit flammable liquid in a
drink carton and tossed it into a train carriage at a busy subway
station on Tue morning.
An est 490 passengers in 2 trains with 6 carriages each were
trapped in the pitch-black downtown subway when the electricity
automatically cut out, jamming many of the train doors shut. A 2nd
train pulled into the platform minutes after the blaze started.
Mr Roh, who was heckled by angry relatives of the victims at the
makeshift emergency centre, blamed the high death toll on a
combination of human error and inadequate safety systems.  He said
safety would be reviewed in all South Korea's subways, starting with
Daegu, the country's 3rd largest city, about 200km southeast of Seoul.
Mr Roh said the Govt would do "everything it can" to help the victims.
Police reported the suspect Kim Dae-hwan, who was arrested when he
appeared at the hospital for treatment, said he was angry with society
because the hospital which had treated him had failed to cure his
mental illness.

Providence, RI.  2ND US CLUB STAMPEDE! There's been another fatal
nightclub stampede in the US, days after panic killed 21 in Chicago.
The latest incident, on Rhode Is, near NYC, has killed at least 1
person and injured dozens.  Pyrotechnics reportedly set fire to a
stage and then spread.  Panic set in as exits clogged with patrons
trying to escape the 1-story building.  40 have reportedly been
treated for injuries received.
[ABC, 9.30 pm. "Several" people are now believed dead.  30 ambulances
were called to the scene, and 100 victims taken to hosp, but officials
say others are believed to have been trapped in the burning building.
Ch 10, 1.30 am. At least 24 are believed dead].

Beijing. TALKING ABOUT CHINA... China currently spends $440 mn pa on
cleaning chewing gum off its streets.  But this might soon change
thanks to a new "footpath lotion" being developed to dissolve the
mess.  The official China Daily reports 8 research institutions have
applied for a $200,000 govt project to design the lotion.  The program
aims to lower the removal cost of gum while creating no new problems.
The annual cleanup costs an average $A0.22 a piece.

Islamabad. CRASH! The commander of Pakistan's air force, Air Chief
Marshal Mushaf Ali Mir, and 16 other people were killed when a
military plane crashed in NW Pakistan yesterday, the air force
said. An air force rep said debris from the Fokker-27 had been found
27 km E of Kohat.  A highly-placed source said among those killed were
the Air Commodore's wife and 2 other air marshals.

Islamabad. Pakistan's air force says a crash that killed 17 people,
including the chief of the air force, was an accident.  Air Commodore
Sarfraz Ahmad has ruled out the possibility the plane was sabotaged or
shot down.  He says a board of inquiry will determine whether the
accident was caused by technical or pilot error or by bad weather.
Investigators are at the site nr Kohat, about 200 km NW of the capital.

Corbin. KA-BOOM! An explosion and fire have rocked an insulation
factory in the US, injuring 26 workers, at least 11 of them
critically.  Authorities say the CTA Acoustics factory in Corbin, S
KY, was still burning about 3 hr after the morning blast.  Authorities
shut down a 20 km stretch of a nearby interstate highway for several
hr because of concerns that smoke from the fire contained hazardous
chemicals. They say there were about 150 workers inside the plant when
the blast occurred.

US Navy boards ships in hunt for Iraqi arms
London.  The US Navy is boarding an average of 6 vessels a day as it
steps up patrols in international waters searching for Iraqi weapons
rumoured to have been hidden on ships or smuggled overseas.  Most of
the operations have been in and around the Persian Gulf, where Western
naval detachments are enforcing international sanctions against Iraq,
ensuring there is no traffic in forbidden goods.
UNMOVIC, the UN agency searching for hidden chem and bio weapons, said
on Wed there had been a steady stream of reports suggesting that Iraqi
weapons had been smuggled abroad in recent m to countries such as
Sudan and Syria.  The search for hidden weapons has taken the UN
weapons inspectors to a wide range of sites. A team of inspectors
showed up unexpectedly at the agriculture school of Tikrit University,
175 kilometres north of Baghdad, and gathered around a metal tank,
examining and photographing it.
Peter Hinchliffe, a marine adviser at the International Chamber of
Shipping, said steps were under way to design an internationally
accepted tracking system to keep a closer watch on vessels.  There was
no evidence that ships carrying Iraqi missiles were concealed at sea,
he said, but added: "The Indian Ocean is a very big place; it's not
difficult to hide things there."
US naval patrols in the Gulf have yielded only minor discoveries of
drugs and a handful of unauthorised guns.  David Osler, industrial
editor of the maritime journal Lloyd's List, said: "It's becoming a
bit of an embarrassment to them; they haven't really found anything."

Washington.  TURKEY STALLS US! US military strategists are weighing up
alternatives for opening a N front in any war with Iraq.  Plan A is a
land-based invasion force from Turkey, but the strategists have been
forced to look at other options because Ankara is holding out for a
better US aid package in exchange for American access to bases and sea
ports.  US Sec of State Colin Powell says the Bush Admin has been as
generous as it intends to be.  The BBC reports that Mr Powell
indicated that the moment for a decision has finally arrived in this
tortuous negotiation between the US and Turkey.  Turkey has been
pressing for more money and other benefits, such as better access to
Iraq's oil.  Speaking to reporters, Mr Powell made it clear there was
no more money on offer, though other aspects of the deal were still
negotiable.  Privately, US officials have said they are furious about
Turkey's hard bargaining.  It is looking increasingly likely that the
US might not be able to use Turkish bases.

Baghdad (WashPost). BAGHDAD STALLS UN!  The Iraqi govt has failed to
increase co-operation with UN inspectors, reportedly emboldened by
world-wide protests and anti-war sentiment in the UN.  Inspectors say
no new Iraqi scientist has agreed to unsupervised interviews since Feb
7, the day before the 2 top UN inspectors arrived in Baghdad for talks
with Iraqi officials.  The UN says it also hasn't received new
documents on Iraq's WMD programs, despite promises by Baghdad to scour
the country for the evidence sought by inspectors.  Several un-named
UN officials said Iraq was not co-operating with the inspection
process.  One said Hans Blix would be more likely to make a down-beat
assessment of Iraq's co-operation at his next report to the UN. Such a
report could prove crucial to so far failing US and Brit efforts to
build a coal'n to support a forceful UN Resolution against Saddam.  A
newspaper run by Uday, Saddam's eldest son, said the global protests
seen last weekend reflected a "new chapter in the global balance of
power".  Iraqi officials have shifted their comments from "we are
complying with UN Resolutions" to calls for the lifting of economic
sanctions imposed after Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990.

LA.  INTERNET CALL UP!  The Pentagon recently announced the call-up of
the net as a weapon of war against "foreign powers".  Now for one
flip-side.  100s of anti-war websites have been registered in the past
few weeks.  Two Silicon Valley engineers have set up a database of
700,000 peaceniks, who supported a Super Bowl ad urging Pres Bush to
"let the inspectors work".  Their web site is also set to host a
virtual march on Washington on Feb 26, when every US Senator will
receive a phone call every minute from constituents who will urge them
to give the UN more time.  The telephone calls will reportedly be
choreographed with a deluge of fax and email.  Other groups using a
net presence to get a message across to the e-masses range from
conservative-liberal coalitions opposed to US bombing in the Middle
East, through various "human shields" projects documenting protesters
in Iraq, to various celebrities promoting anti-war messages.

Powell issues challenge to UN
NY.  The US Sec of State Colin Powell has challenged the UN to uphold
its responsibilities on Iraq, and confirmed a new Res would be
revealed next wk.  It comes at a time when the Sec Council is split on
whether to authorise military action for what Washington and some of
its allies are saying are clear material breaches of the earlier UN
disarmament Res.  However Mr Powell says the new one is unlikely to
seek an auth'n of the use of force.  "I think it will be a resolution
that summarises the situation as it exists, shows that Iraq is not in
compliance," he said.  Meanwhile, in an interview on public television
in the US, Mr Rumsfeld characterised the US forces in the Persian Gulf
region as "ample."  He said Washington and its allies are at the point
where if Pres George W Bush decides to attack, the armed forces have
the capabilities and the strategy to do the job.  But it is looking
increasingly likely that the US might not be able to use Turkish bases.

Blix gives UN trigger to act on Iraq
NY.  The chief UN weapons inspector will this wk order Iraq to destroy
missiles that break UN rules, setting up a potential stand-off that
Washington will seize on as more evidence Baghdad is not disarming.
If Baghdad complies it loses a potential weapon as war looms within
"weeks not months". If it refuses it will be seen as non-compliance
with its obligations under Resolution 1441 to disarm.
Meanwhile:
- UN arms inspectors checked an assembly site for Al-Samoud 2 missiles,
from where officials said 50 missiles had already been delivered to
the Iraqi army.
- Russia expressed "profound concern" about four days of strikes by US
and British forces against Iraqi air defence facilities.
- The head of the opp'n Iraqi National Congress called US plans to
occupy Iraq in the event of a war "unworkable and unwise".
- UN Sec-Gen Kofi Annan said a war on Iraq would only be conceivable if
the alternatives were shown to be worse. "I continue to think that war
is not inevitable," he said, adding that war was "always a human
catastrophe".
- Brit told its nationals in Iraq to get out immediately, as it flew
fresh waves of combat-ready troops to the Gulf.
- The 22-member Arab League ruled out a special summit this month on the
Iraq crisis because of "differences", even with time running out
before US military action. The region's leaders will not meet before
their annual summit in Mar.

March to war slows
NY.  The march to war with Iraq has slowed after the US and Brit
decided yesterday to delay presenting a 2nd Res to the UN seeking to
authorise use of force.  At the same time, Turkey threw into doubt the
N thrust of a planned 2-pronged invasion of Iraq when it put off a
decision on allowing American troops on its soil in a wrangle over the
size of a $multi bn aid package to Ankara.
At the UN, the Americans and the British, who have been working on the
text of a 2nd Res, were apparently unable to agree on its exact
wording.  A draft was completed this wk. The Sec Council had expected
to see it yesterday but, as a 2nd day of UN debate on Iraq wound down,
there was no sign it would be presented. Brit announced that it had
been delayed, perhaps by a few days, or up to a wk.
The official explanation is that heavy snow in NY had delayed the
start of a day-long debate on Iraq by UN members, and the late start
forced the debate into a 2nd day, leaving the US with little time to
make a formal presentation. Privately, however, UN officials said the
US and Brit were still agonising over the text and had decided to
spend at least a few more days trying to persuade Sec Council members
to support the 2nd Res before it was presented.
France and Russia have maintained strong opp'n to the use of force.
The draft Res is expected to say Iraq is in "further material breach"
of Res 1441. The words "material breach" can be used as legal
justification for war.
Diplomats at the UN said the new Res might not be pushed to a vote
until Mar, after another report by chief weapons inspector Hans
Blix. Dr Blix is to give a written update to the Sec Council at the
end of the month or early in Mar on the inspectors' progress and
Iraq's co-operation.

Washington. US PLANS FOR WORST!  US military planners are said to be
thinking about worst-case scenarios for any Iraqi war.  Officials are
making contingency plans for Iraqi nukes, the use of chem or bio
weapons, oilfield fires, and even floods.  There's even a plan for
tank commanders to take live chickens into battle, to detect Iraqi
chem weapons.  One of the key scenarios is occupying more time.
Saddam has recently moved explosives next to oil wells, in
preparation for their destruction at the first hint of a US attack.
Both sides in the conflict are prepared to think laterally.
Officials say there is evidence Baghdad has plans to blow up dams on
the Tigris and Euphrates to create tidal waves that would bog down or
even wash away US forces on the narrow roads into the country.  Besides
roads and fields that would suddenly be underwater if the dams were blown,
the resulting floods would also sweep away large sections of the Iraqi
population.  The Pentagon has warned Saddam may have even nastier
plans in mind, that it hasn't thought up yet.

US, UK to present new Iraq resolution
Washington.  The Bush Admin and its closest ally, Brit, are
planning to present a new Res to the UN Security Council on Mon in a
bid for support to use force to disarm Iraq.  Adoption is by no means
assured. A majority of the 15 council members are opposed to war at
least until chief UN weapons inspector Hans Blix reports on Mar 1.
Sec of State Colin Powell said a headcount was "academic" because the
Res demanding Iraqi disarmament had not been put forward.  Powell, who
is due to fly to Japan on Fri for the start of a 5-day Asia trip,
juggled Res diplomacy with stressful negotiations with Turkey, a
potential key ally in any war.
As for the expected UN Res, the Bush Admin sees little value
in extending inspections and much to worry about in Iraq's connection
to Al Qaeda and other terror groups.  Powell said: "We won't put a
resolution down unless we intend to fight for the resolution, unless
we believe we can make the case that it is appropriate."
Def Sec Donald H Rumsfeld said Thu evening the buildup of tens of
1000s of troops in the Persian Gulf region has reached the point that
they could launch an invasion if the Pres orders one. Asked on PBS'
"NewsHour With Jim Lehrer," if the US and British forces massed in the
area are ready to go to war, Rumsfeld replied: "Yes."
Meanwhile, Iraq allowed another flight by an American U-2 surveillance
plane Thu as Pres Saddam Hussein's govt sought to convince the world
that it is cooperating with the weapons inspectors.  It was the 2nd
flight this wk by a U-2 in support of the UN inspection program. The
Iraqi Foreign Ministry said the plane spent 6 hr and 20 minutes
over Iraq's territory.  In NY, a UN rep said Iraq had submitted a list
of 83 people involved in the destruction of banned weapons in response
to a demand by Blix.
Meanwhile, four US military transport planes carrying troops and
equipment landed nr Romania's Black Sea coast Thu night, airport
officials said, in what appeared to be the start of a new stage of the
buildup of forces against Iraq.  The planes carried some 250 troops as
well as equipment and food.  They were to remain in Romania until Mon,
said Alexandru Bazdac, an airport official in Constanta.
On basing US troops in Turkey, Gul said in Ankara that a statement
would be made on Fri. He did not elaborate.  Powell did not provide
details about the refinements in the US aid package that were under
consideration. But another US official said one approach might be to
seek a $1 bn congressional appropriation that would then permit Turkey
to obtain loans at preferential US-govt rates for many times that
amount.  Turkish Foreign Min Yasar Yakis said in Ankara he did not
expect a crucial vote on whether to accept US combat soldiers before
next wk Turkish Economy Min Ali Babacan said the dispute could be
resolved "within days."  Turkey has asked $10 bn in aid, while the US
has offered some $6 bn.
Ships carrying equipment for a US infantry div are already at
sea. The US wants to base tens of 1000s of soldiers in Turkey to open
a possible N front against Iraq.  The dispute with Turkey is one of
many problems the Bush Admin has as it tries to line up
support for an attack on Iraq if Saddam doesn't disarm quickly.
Implying the US might deploy troops elsewhere if terms could not be
reached with Turkey, White House rep Ari Fleischer said "we have to
deal with realities, and we will."
Meanwhile, Pres Bush sought to keep the pressure on the Sec Council,
telling a suburban Atlanta audience, "Denial and endless delay in the
face of growing danger is not an option."

Operation regime change
Washington (The Guardian).  The US has drawn up a 'head transplant'
plan, based on a short, intense air campaign and landings in Baghdad
to oust Saddam Hussein The US war plan for Iraq is being prepared in
great detail by Donald Rumsfeld and Pres Bush's civilian advisers in
the White House.  America's generals are outraged at this micromanagement.
Colin Powell created the idea that the US should always use massive and
overwhelming force in any war when he was chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff in the late 1980s. Rumsfeld has set aside the Powell doctrine
in favour of a more adventurous approach.
 Despite the war talk, the US has not yet sent enough forces from
Germany or the US for a mass invasion. Most of the forces that
Rumsfeld told the press had been alerted in Jan are still in their
barracks. This is partly because Rumsfeld believes the war can be won
with few ground troops and also because of arguments inside the
Pentagon about how to fight the war.
 Rumsfeld intends to abandon what he sees as old ideas, such as using
tanks to seize territory. Instead he favours 1000s of precision air
strikes and an immediate landing around and inside Baghdad. This
attack is intended to be a "head transplant". The transplant would
kill Saddam or force him to flee. He would be replaced -- for the time
being -- with a figurehead from the existing regime who would keep the
existing army and Ba'ath party in place. This would help keep order
and prevent a civil war with the Kurds in the north and the marsh
Arabs in the south. Democracy and human rights are not high up the
list of priorities.
 The troops that the US has sent already could carry out this
transplant operation. They incl the 3rd Mechanised Div and 1st
Marine Div in Kuwait. Between them these have more than 300
tanks, 100s of smaller armoured vehicles and a great many attack and
transport helicopters. The marines train to fly 100s of miles inland
supported by their Harrier jump jets and tanks.  Brit will soon have
another 100 or so tanks and helicopter-borne troops.  The 101st Air
Assault Div and 82nd Airborne have more than 20,000 soldiers trained
to attack by helicopter. Finally, the 4th Mechanised Div has been
given orders to go. This div forms "task force ironhorse" of some
37,000 soldiers including, more than 100 tanks and bridge-building
engineers. The "Ironhorse" Div is also the 1st computerised, "Digital
Division". One advantage it has is that all its vehicles have GPS,
which automatically provide a picture of every vehicle's
location. This means the army has to worry less about being subject to
friendly fire from the USAF as it rushes across the desert.
 US troops can capture airfields deep inside Iraq, and within hr use
them to fly in 100s of tanks and troops. They already have prepared
several bases in Kurdistan. US forces could also get to Iraq from the
British airfields in Cyprus, and old Soviet bases in Bulgaria, Romania
and Georgia as more well-known ones in the Gulf and Turkey.  The US
army and air force have spent y practising these airlanding operations.
 There are numerous reports that Saddam's troops have been told through
leaflets and radio broadcasts that they will not be attacked if they
stay put. These messages have been backed up with offers of large
amounts of cash to bribe snr commanders. This was a highly
effective method of waging war in Afghanistan.  Any Iraqi troops that
do move will be spotted and destroyed by US air power.
 In the Gulf war, the B-52s carried old-style "dumb bombs". Today each
of the 70 B-52s carries 50 bombs directed by GPS to their target.
Theoretically, these planes alone could attack 3,500 aim points in
Iraq in one go. And the US has 500 other planes based nearby.
 Saddam may not topple quickly like one of the communist regimes of E
Europe. US troops have been often ambushed in Afghanistan and may find
themselves in trouble in the cities of Iraq. Helicopters look
glamorous but like the cavalry horses they replaced they are
vulnerable to gun fire.  This attack plan, designed to shock and awe
the enemy into surrender, may win the war in days.
 Alternatively, the shock and awe may merely be designed to intimidate
both Saddam and the UN security council. If in fact the White House is
still very cautious about risking US lives, then it could well be
content in the end to go along with a UN-backed process.  Remember
that, even after Sep 11, the White House held back from putting US
troops in harm's way in the search for Osama bin Laden in
Afghanistan. Even now, Pres Bush may want to lead a UN-backed force to
minimise the risk of US casualties and global disorder to re-emphasise
the "compassionate conservative" strategy that won him his 1st term.

Venezuela.  CHAVEZ STRIKES! Pres Hugo Chavez promised to move against
organisers of the country's crippling general strike, and now he has.
Overnight, the head of a business group was arrested, and the main
opp'n leader went into hiding.  This morning there were street marches
in protest at the moves.  The Pres also had supporters, gathered
outside DISIP (political police) HQ where the business leader was
being held.  Pres Chavez said he had authorised the 2 arrest warrants
yesterday.  Police moved to serve the arrests around midnight local
time.  The Pres said he'd gone to bed after signing the warrants "with
smile on my face".  The pair are charged with treason, destruction of
property, and associating with criminals.  They were significant
figures in organising and continuing the country's crippling general
strike, aimed at forcing the Pres from power.  The country's oil indy
is struggling to get back to normal.  While anti-Chavez feeling had
largely fizzled out when strikers went back to work, anti-govt feeling
has been stoked again by the President's action against the strike leaders.

Nuclear sites revealed by Iran defector
Washington.  As international inspectors prepare to visit 2 recently
discovered nuclear sites in Iran this weekend, an Iranian opp'n group
planned to reveal today details of a new site that it said housed
equipment for enriching uranium for possible use in nuclear weapons.
The opp'n group, citing sources in Iran, also planned to allege that
Iranian officials had removed sensitive equipment that was installed
at one of the sites, at Natanz, that will be the subject of the visit
by the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The opp'n group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, disclosed
the existence of the nuclear sites in Aug and has often revealed
reliable info about Iran's efforts to obtain WMD.
Iranian officials have denied the plants are part of a weapons
program, arguing that they are necessary to wean Iran from its
dependence on its vast oil and gas reserves for energy. But the US has
viewed Iran's nuclear program with deep suspicion and has pressed
foreign govts -- especially Russia, which is helping to build a
reactor at a nuclear plant on the Persian Gulf coast at Bushehr -- to
end co-operation with Tehran.
Earlier this month, the Iranian Govt announced it was planning to
develop its own nuclear fuel, a step that could also provide material
for weapons. The Russian involvement had prev been considered a
safeguard, as Moscow has demanded the return of all spent fuel.
Alireza Jafarzadeh, Washington representative of the opp'n group, said
the group had info indicating that Chinese and North Korean
experts had assisted in the Iranian program. He said about 50 Chinese
experts had been observed at a uranium mine at Saghand, and North
Korean and Chinese experts supervised the installation of the
centrifuge equipment to enrich uranium at a facility nr Isfahan.
Mr Jafarzadeh said the Iranian Govt in recent m appeared to have
stepped up its nuclear program in hopes of building a nuclear device
between 2004 and 2005. "Their aim is to shift the balance of power in
their favour in the region," he said.
Until recently, Iran had rebuffed efforts by the IAEA to examine the 2
sites. But Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the UN's nuclear watchdog,
will travel to Iran tomorrow and Sun and urge Iranian officials to
sign an "additional protocol" that would permit regular monitoring of
Iran's nuclear operations.

Regan convicted of attempted espionage
Alexandria, Va.  Former Air Force Master Sgt Brian Patrick Regan was
convicted Thu of offering to sell US intel info to Iraq
and China but acquitted of attempted spying for Libya. The jury now
must decide whether he can be executed.  The US District Court jury
deliberated 24 hr over 5 days before returning the verdict. Regan,
standing, showed no emotion as the verdict was read.  The jury then
resumed deliberations on whether Regan offered Iraq documents
concerning nuclear weaponry, military satellites, war plans or other
major US weapons systems. After an hour, the panel recessed until Mon
without reaching a decision.  If the jury finds that Regan offered
those secrets to Iraq, he could be subject to the death penalty.  US
Attorney Paul J McNulty said the guilty verdicts demonstrate "that
traitors can and will be held accountable. Mr. Regan betrayed his
country and the men and women in uniform with whom he served. He put
his love of money before his love of country."

Former elite soldier charged amid claims of a battlefield execution
Canberra.  Charges are understood to have been laid against a former
snr soldier in the SAS after a long investigation into allegations
of serious misconduct by members of the elite unit in East Timor.  The
charges are believed to relate to allegations dating from Oct 1999,
when a battle broke out nr the town of Suai between an SAS patrol and
members of an Indonesian-backed militia group opposed to Timorese
indep.  The allegations are understood to centre on 3 issues: whether
one of the militia members was killed in an execution-style shooting;
whether there was any misuse of the corpses of the 2 militia members
who died [Ch 7 reports one soldier is accused of kicking a corpse];
and whether other captured members of the militia unit were beaten or
otherwise mistreated during their later interrogation by SAS members.
It is understood that the charges were laid earlier this m and are the
first to be brought in connection with the investigation, which has
dragged on behind closed doors in the Def Dept for more than 3 y.  A
rep for the dept yesterday refused to respond directly to questions
about whether any charges had been laid. "The army is conducting an
investigation into the allegations and the results will be made public
when it is complete," she said, but could not say when that might be.

No ill effects seen in smallpox shot volunteers
NY.  There have been no adverse events seen so far among civilians
participating in the US smallpox vaccination program, according to a
govt report released Thu.  Between Jan 24th and Feb 14th of this y,
4,213 civilian healthcare workers were inoculated with the smallpox
vaccine, the CDC notes in its Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report
for Feb 21.  As of 18 Feb, only 7 people have reported non-serious
adverse events, which incl fever, rash, malaise, itchiness, high blood
pressure and sore throat. "Some or all of these events might be
coincidental," according to the CDC.  The CDC, along with state and
local health authorities, is continuing to follow the health of people
who have received the vaccine. Last wk, the US military reported 2
cases of brain inflammation and one case of inflammation of the heart
among more than 100,000 troops vaccinated since Dec. No other serious
events have been reported.

AUS 4th on terror hit list
Brisbane.  AUS was now 4th on the world's terror attack hit list, with
Qantas the most likely target, the country's leading terror expert
said today.  ANU Dir of Terrorism Studies Clive Williams told an
industry security conference in Bris that AUS could now be considered
the 4th most likely country to be targeted by a terrorism attack.
"AUS's involvement in a war in Iraq will inevitably increase our
profile, and I'm pretty sure that (Al Qaeda leader Osama) Bin Laden
will quite quickly seize on the fact that we are one of the 3
countries that are combatants," Mr Williams said.  "That will probably
make us number four on the hit list -- the US will be first, Israel
will be second, the UK will be third."
Mr Williams said AUS's involvement in Iraq had implications for high
profile businesses, with Qantas, as possibly the best known business
overseas, the most likely target.  He said no company could completely
protect itself from attack, but Qantas was well prepared.  Mr Williams
said all airlines would be planning to divert flights away from Iraq
and the Middle East region in the event of war, a decision which would
increase costs.
Mr Williams said it was more likely an attack on Aussies or AUS
interests would take place overseas.  "Since the turn of the
millennium, 101 Aussies have died overseas and if you go back 100 y,
20 odd people have died in AUS as a result of politically-motivated
violence," he said.  "Clearly the risk is way higher overseas, simply
because it is a lot easier to attack us overseas than it is to attack
us in AUS."  He warned the risk of terrorism attacks through food
poisoning was growing, with poisons such as ricin likely agents.

Regional security for feds: Beattie
Brisbane.  Qld Prem Peter Beattie today accused the Commonwealth of
passing the buck when it came to protecting regional airports.  Mr
Beattie has called following this wk's hijack of a light plane in
central Qld for the Fed Govt to accelerate plans to improve security
at regional airports and carry most of the cost.  But his comments
were met with angry reactions from Deputy Prime Min and Transport Min
John Anderson who said the premier had shirked his responsibilities.
Fed Opposition transport rep Martin Ferguson also said security
responsibility lay with the Qld Govt.
Mr Beattie today defended his comments saying it was silly to expect
the state to control issues of national security.  "To suggest that
after Sep 11, that states should wear the security for all aircraft
movements is just extraordinary in extreme", Mr Beattie said.  "If the
PM wants us (the states) to take charge of foreign affairs he should
say so. We would do a better job."
The controversy was sparked when a 28-yo man forced a pilot to fly a
Cessna 210 from the tiny Hedlow Airfield nr Rockhampton to Mackay.
Alleged hijacker Kelly Witchard of Rockhampton was remanded in custody
on 9 charges yesterday including unlawful use of an aircraft when
he faced Mackay Magistrates Court.  He entered no plea and will
reappear in court next wk.

Canberra.  PM John Howard has expanded his criticism of anti-war
protesters to include members of the Sec Council.  Today he said
Russia, China and France -- in asking for more time to disarm Iraq --
was "encouraging" Saddam Hussein to stall.  Speaking about
demonstrators and the recalcitrant 3, Mr Howard said if all had spoken
"with one voice" there would be more pressure on Saddam and less
chance of military action.  He also criticised demonstrators for
directing more vitriol at US Pres Bush than at Saddam Hussein.
Meanwhile, about 2,000 women marched in the SYD rain, protesting
against a war in Iraq. Award-winning journo Anne Deveson and refugee
activist Paula Abood were among those who addressed the crowd.

Canberra. HOWARD TAKES & GIVES!  PM John Howard says the govt would
rather give tax cuts than increase spending in the May Budget.
However the PM warning spending will be increased in some areas,
particularly "defence".  Mr Howard says AUS's deployment of troops for
a possible war in Iraq will eat heavily into the Budget.  Meanwhile,
he's refused to commit to adjusting bracket creep.  While on his
"peace tour" in Washington, the PM had indicated he was considering
adjusting the brackets, at least for those in the most highly-paid
group. Today the PM said he can't promise to adjust anything.

Amendments may create 2nd waste dump
Canberra.  A bill aimed at stopping a radioactive waste dump being set
up in SA could achieve the opposite and see 2 dumps set up
instead.  Parliament's upper house has proposed amendments that would
force the state to build its own dump.  The Legislative Council had
been asked to rush through an amended bill yesterday, to ban the
transport of radioactive waste on state roads, and prevent a dump
being set up in SA.  After hr of negotiations, Independent-minded
Liberal MP Julian Stefani proposed an amendment which would see a
Labor Govt prevented from using the national repository.  "The bill's
been adjourned for a month, during which time Shadow Environment Min
Iain Evans says the Govt should answer some questions," he said.
Environment Min John Hill says the councillors may have been too
clever by half.  "Under the provisions being put forward by Julian,
that may mean we have 2 dumps," he said.

Petrol price under pressure
Sydney.  The price of petrol will be under more pressure in coming days
with a cold snap in the US driving oil prices to a 2.5 y high.  Heavy
snowfalls across the US have created a rush in demand for heating oil,
with the West Texas Crude Oil price jumping to over $US37 a barrel
overnight.  Crude oil prices have now risen $12 a barrel since Nov.

Independents struggle as motorists shun ethanol
Sydney.  Drivers are turning their backs on ethanol-laced petrol,
hurting 100s of indep petrol stations and undermining govt
policies designed to encourage ethanol production.  The consumer
boycott of ethanol coincides with a wave of petrol theft triggered by
high petrol prices, causing further hardship for petrol station
proprietors.  "There has been a campaign by the oil companies to
punish indep," said Bob Gordon, executive director of AUS
Biofuels Association.  "Demand has been affected ... but hasn't
reached a crisis point."
Independent retailers report that sales have already been seriously
affected after media reports on the effect of ethanol on car engines.
The Fed Govt decided this wk to intro in the next few months new
rules to force service stations to show the level of the additive in
their fuel.
Consumer pressure will also be intensified by reports of a new govt
study of ethanol which reveals it can cause damage to engines at
blends of 20% -- a level widely available at indep service
stations.
All ethanol produced in NSW is distributed through 200 indep
stations in SYD and Newcastle.  The major oil companies have refused
to supply ethanol until consumer-protection measures are in
place. From today, Ampol service stations will display ethanol-free
posters at service counters.
Mr Gordon, whose association is closely linked to AUS's largest
ethanol producer, Manildra, said ethanol had given indep
retailers a 2 to 6% price advantage compared with stations tied to the
major oil companies. He conceded, however, that ethanol reduces fuel
efficiency by 2 to 3%.
Bryan Nye, executive director of the AUS Institute of Petroleum,
declined to comment on the merits of ethanol, but said: "It's not
economical. You'd have to have the oil price in excess of $US80 a
barrel to be the equivalent of ethanol."  The oil price is currently
around $US37 a barrel.  Ethanol producers receive a subsidy of 38
cents for every L of petrol sold, following Fed Govt policies
intro'd last y, ostensibly to support the sugar industry.  The bulk
of Manildra's ethanol production is derived from wheat.
Compounding the difficulties for petrol retailers, police have
reported a sharp increase in people driving off without paying.  The
Bureau of Crime Statistics and Research says petrol theft is the
fastest-growing type of fraud in NSW -- with more than 6000 cases
reported in NSW each y.  The AUS Institute of Petroleum est this
theft slices $50 mn from annual profits.  "The problem is escalating
and it is certainly very closely linked to higher petrol prices," Mr Nye said.

Sharp rise in doctors off overseas
Sydney.  More doctors are heading overseas, cutting the numbers
working in AUS and adding to the squeeze on medical services, official
figures show.  The AUS Institute of Health and Welfare figures show
the number of doctors leaving for overseas had doubled between
mid-1995 and 2000 to 294 -- a quarter of the total of new medical
graduates for that y.  The institute also found there had been a
slight decline in the ratio of full-time doctors to the population,
down from 358 doctors per 100,000 people in 1995 to 344 in 1999.

Anzacs must move closer: Kirby
NZ.  Pavlova disputes and the fight over who owned Phar Lap could be
solved by "tying the knot" between AUS and NZ, High Court judge
Michael Kirby has suggested.  A common passport, currency and tax
system in time for the 2015 anniversary of Gallipoli could make both
nations stronger, Justice Kirby said in a speech in Auckland. "The
time may be approaching for us to tie the knot," he said, describing
the relationship as "sibling rivalry".  AUS's 1901 Constitution
provides for the inclusion of New Zealand as a part of the Federation,
but the real bond was forged by the AUS and NZ Army Corps on the
Turkish battlefield in 1915, Justice Kirby said.  The Closer Economic
Relations treaty, signed in 1973, this y marks its 20th anniversary,
and NZ Finance Min Michael Cullen has called for the 2 countries to
form a single market, modelled on the European Union.  Justice Kirby,
who prev suggested trans-Tasman union in the 1970s and was
dismissed by NZ's then-PM Robert Muldoon as a "judicial comic", said
he hoped Australasians would find an "imaginative and constitutionally
inventive" way to unite.

Costello floats an Anzac currency
NZ.  He may be getting swept up in America's Cup fever, but Treas
Peter Costello said in Auckland yesterday a single Anzac currency was
"not difficult to imagine".  The economies of AUS and NZ were
increasingly "in synch" and were bringing the countries closer
together, Mr Costello said on a visit to NZ for meetings with PM Helen
Clark and cabinet ministers.  "Is it so hard to imagine a single
currency across the Tasman? The answer is no," Mr Costello told an
Auckland Chamber of Commerce breakfast.  Mr Costello said neither CBR
nor Wellington was working on creating an Anzac dollar.  Currency
traders often saw the Aussie and Kiwi dollars as interchangeable, Mr
Costello said.  NZ politicians and business leaders are concerned
about being frozen out of a free trade deal being negotiated between
AUS and the US. But Mr Costello sought to reassure Kiwis their economy
would not suffer.  Economic modelling commissioned by the AUS Govt
showed NZ's economic growth would in fact be helped by such a deal, he said.

Data Paint Worse-Than-Expected US Economic Picture
Washington.  Americans bought foreign goods in Dec rather than
stimulating domestic output, wholesale inflation surged last m and
manufacturing suffered in Feb, a surprisingly poor set of economic
reports showed on Thu.  Separate data revealed a labour market still
stuck in the doldrums, with the number of Americans lining up to claim
first-time unemployment benefits jumping in the latest wk.  The stock
market closed lower, partly because of the gloomy data.  The US trade
gap widened 10.6% to a record $44.2 bn in Dec as exports floundered
and imports surged. The gap trounced expectations for a deficit of
$38.8 bn.  The trade gap with Germany set a record and the gulf with
Japan was the highest since Oct 2000. Imports from China, the largest
US import partner, surged to $125.2 bn.  The numbers came as US
Treas Sec John Snow acknowledged that uncertainty over Iraq is
keeping economic activity subdued.

IT jobless rate double average
Sydney.  Unemployment among AUS's IT workers is almost twice the
national average, clear evidence the technology bubble has well and
truly burst.  Almost 12% of skilled technology professionals are out
of work, compared with the national average of 6.1%, according to an
ACS survey.  The older you are the harder it is to get a job in the
sector, and women are more likely to be unemployed than men, the
survey found.  An atmosphere of doom and gloom pervades the industry,
technology student numbers are dropping and firms continue to struggle
to find business.
The survey's results made a mockery of state and fed govt aims to
position AUS as a "knowledge economy", ACS Pres Richard Hogg said
yesterday.  "Politicians of all persuasions, including our PM, have
pointed to technology as being the future, but it will be a bleak
future indeed if we don't take steps to revitalise this key industry
sector," he said.
The survey results come just wk before the Govt releases its 10-y plan
for the development of the technology sector.  Communications and IT
Min Richard Alston questioned the survey's results, which were based
on around 1000 respondents, saying it was a blatant grandstanding
exercise. Govt employment statistics suggest unemployment averaged 4%
in 2002.

Telstra share price takes a dive
Sydney.  Telstra has been punished by investors on the AUS share
market after a $1 bn write-down on a HK joint venture.  Telstra shares
have crumbled almost 5% to their lowest level in more than 5 y.  The
bottom so far today for Telstra shares has been $4.16, a level not
seen since Dec 1997 and 44% below the $7.40 paid by 1.7 mn small
investors in the Fed Govt's Telstra II sale.  AUS's dominant telco
carrier has written down by $965 mn the value of Reach Limited, its HK
joint venture with Richard Li's Pacific Century Cyberworks.  Telstra
CEO, Ziggy Switkowski, says an oversupply of capacity is driving down
prices for Internet data carriage.  "What we're finding is that as
customer contracts have come up for renewal that recent pricing has
continued to trend sharply lower to levels beyond our business plan
expectations," he said.  Around midday, Telstra shares were down 18
cents at $4.19, still down more than 4%.

Sydney (SBS).  Wall St slumped 1% today, but the All Ords was
relatively flat and closed at 2804.  The AUD is still testing the 60 c
level, trading at 10 pm at 59.90 US c, its highest in 3 y.  The USD is
still under some selling pressure.  Telstra dived after announcing $bn
writedown.  It brings to $2 bn losses in its HK operations, part of
its big push into Asia.  The company's growth is now is on hold.
Telstra shares closed below $4.20, you lucky mums & dads!  OTC was
merged with Telstra some y back.  It was once worth $1bn, but its
value now is nil.  Meanwhile, oil has dropped to $US36.07/bbl.  Gold
is up by $US2.30/oz.

Vic welcomes rain relief
Melbourne.  Steady rain has been falling in Vic's west and is expected
to sweep across the rest of state over the next 12 hr.  The Weather
Bureau says towns including Horsham and Mildura have received more
than their monthly average since yesterday morning.  Bureau forecaster
Peter Newham says MEL is also enjoying welcome relief from the dry.
He says Vic's can expect more of the same.  Reports say the past 24 hr
has seen 100 mm fall in the state's parched W, with an average of 25
mm in other areas.  It's reportedly the best rainfall in 7 y.  In NZ,
Fed Treas Peter Costello was trying to take the credit.

Sydney. HARE KRISNAS ON THE WARPATH!  Vegetarian Hare Krishnas are
reportedly fuming over TV ads showing in AUS and NZ that show butchers
chanting and dancing in the streets about good cuts of meat.  The
Krishnas say the ad mocks their singing and dancing.  Members on both
sides of the Tasman have officially complained, saying it ridicules
their spiritual practices and strict opp'n to eating flesh.  NZ's ad
watchdog is reviewing the complaints but AUS's organisation let it
run, saying most people would find it funny.

----------------------------------------
Sat, 22 Feb 2003.

Seoul. SUBWAY FIRE AFTERMATH!  Police say several subway employees
seem to be guilty of negligence in this wk's fire that killed 130
people.  Prosecutors will soon decide whether any will be charged. A
police official said it would be decided next wk whether to arrest up
to 6 people, incl the train drive.  In his haste to escape the burning
stn one driver locked his train, leaving many passengers to burn to
death inside.  He appeared on TV today, begging forgiveness from
families and victims.

Ankara. SIMPLE HURDLE #1! Chief UN weapons insp Hans Blix has written
to the Iraqi govt, demanding it destroys its Al-Samoud 2 missiles. UN
experts recently found the missiles exceeded the UN-set limit of 150
km. There are conflicting reports whether or not the missiles could
strike Israel.  Dr Blix has set an 8-day deadline for carrying out the
destruction. If Baghdad fails to comply, it's expected the US and UK
will use it as proof that Saddam is not co-operating with the
UN. America has made it clear it's ready to use the force it has
assembled in the Gulf.  In other reports, an official at an Iraqi
factory says 50 of the missiles have already been handed over to the
Iraqi military. He said another 50 were presently being manufactured
by his factory.

Washington. US TROOPS TO PHIL! Following increased activity from
Philippines rebel groups, about 1,750 US elite troops are to fly in
for joint operations.  It will be the first time the US and
Philippines have fought together against the rebels.  In a major
strategic shift from training to fighting, a US official says some 350
Special Ops soldiers will be among the US troops sent. They will
operate in the S Philippines to help subdue Muslim separatist groups
that have been fighting the mainly Roman Catholic nation for 3
decades.  US officials say the purpose of the mission are multifold.
It's meant to show the world the US war on terrorism is not
anti-Arab. It's also intended to send a warning to outlaw groups
operating in the Asia Pacific region. And it's intended to advertise
that other countries in the region can ask for similar US help in
tackling similar problems. No takers yet.

Washington.  PEACE PLANS! The Iraqi opp'n-in-exile has been angered by
a shift in US planning. Initially a civilian govt was to be installed
as soon as Saddam Hussein was regime-changed. But US officials now say
they favour a "brief period" of US military rule before returning the
country to civilian control.  The rag-tag groups that form Iraq's opp'n
are ropable.  They say the US should not interrupt the govt of Iraq by
Iraqis. They say they want to make a contribution to the US war
effort, to save both Iraqi and American lives.
Iraqi Kurds are also said to be upset with Washington.  While
negotiations between the US and Turkey continue, the Kurds say they
don't like the US plan to have Turkish troops invade N Iraq in the
event of war.  Officials say under no conditions would they allow
Turkish forces into Kurdistan.  Ethnic Kurds in the S of Turkey and
Ankara have been fighting a protracted low-level civil war for
decades.  Iraqi Kurds also say they won't be following any US scripts
to fight Iraq. Officials said their forces would not be heading S to
fight Saddam, but will stand and fight to protect their own territory.

West Warwick. FIRE TOLL RISES!  The death toll from a nightclub fire
on Rhode Is has risen to 85, with another 160 injured.  Trying to
cover their asses, club officials say the pyrotechnic effects used by
a band that sparked a fire and then mass panic were used without
permission.  The death toll is expected to climb further as
firefighters search through the charred shell of the wooden building.
[1.00 pm. The death toll has risen to 95, with the list of injured now
at 180. The entire club was engulfed in flames within 3 mins of
sparklers on stage during the performance of an 80s rock band, Great
White, setting light to the ceiling and soundproofing].

Gaza City. PEACE MOVE!  Top negotiator Saeb Erakat says the
Palestinian leadership has decided on a 1-y truce in the uprising
against Israel. He says the leadership and the Fatah movement have
agreed on a so-called peace road map, which calls for a 1-y freeze on
anti-Israeli operations to allow the peace process to resume on the
basis of the road map drafted by the 4 "Quartet" nations, which
envisions a Palestinian state by 2005, among other things.  The
Palestinians are supporting a European draft while the Israelis favour
a US version.

London. WORLD DIVIDED!  Talks to end the rift between NATO and the EU
have ended badly.  The Americans implied the French were cowards.
The Germans said the US was only after the oil.  The French said
proposed EU members from the E were "infantile".  The wk was supposed
to end divisions within NATO and the EU. But it finished with talk of
payback.
An unofficial boycott on product de France is now underway in the
US. But more costly will be a threatened pull-out of US troops from
Germany.  Under orders from Don Rumsfeld, who made no secret of his
fury about German moves to thwart his war plan, 60,000 US troops will
soon be withdrawn from Germany and deployed around E Europe.
A reduction was already in the offing, but it was given fresh impetus
from Mr Rumsfeld. A Pentagon source said: "We are doing this for one
reason only -- to harm the German economy".  The pull-out will hurt
Germany's def industries and commercial sectors, both of which are
struggling with nr-record low growth and crippling unemployment.
But the Germans, like the French, are unrepentant.  Env Min Juergen
Trittin has echoed what many anti-war protesters say are the "real
interests of the United States".  "Those are geo-strategic and oil
interests", he said.
Healing the wounds may be a forlorn tasks, with mew battle-liens being
drawn up in the UN for next wk.  Observers say US anger will flow on
for years, including damage to the Doha round of global trade talks.
With French and German leaders recently re-elected, and Pres Bush a
hot favourite for next y's Pres race, barring a disaster, Iraq's
legacy may be a world divided for years.  Within Europe, hope for the
future is coming from the E.  But with many of the former communist
nations signing up on the American side, French Pres Chirac is
threatening to close that out, too.
On the domestic level, Mr Chirac's stance has proven very popular.
Unlike PM Tony Blair's public backlash, Chirac's popularity is
soaring.

Crawford. BUSH TELEPHONE! US Pres George Bush Jr and top aides will
contact leaders of the other 14 members of the Sec Council over Iraq.
The US is seeking votes for a new resolution the Whitehouse says is
the "final test" of the UN's willingness to disarm Iraq.  Pres Bush
kicked off the lobbying with a phone call from his TX ranch to UN Sec
Gen Kofi Annan.  Ari Fleischer says the new resolution will be a
"final opportunity" for the UN to do what the US wants before the US
does it anyway.

Auckland. WHO IS THE PRES?  Nauru -- one of the world's most secretive
nations -- has been cut off from the world and diplomatic missions
accredited to it say they are no longer sure who is president. The
latest word from the C Pacific nation was received yesterday by Radio
Australia.  It was an address given 3 wks ago by the man believed then
to be running the country, Pres Bernard Dowiyogo. In the address he
said the country is in a "critical situation" and appealed to the
nation's friends to come to the rescue.

Moscow. UPPITY RUSKIES! The lower house of the Russian Parl has called
for legislators from around the world to meet in Baghdad next m to
discuss how to stave off a US attack.  The calls is part of a
resolution that also says a US attack without UN approval would be a
"gross violation of the principles and norms of international
law". The measure, passed by a 377-1 vote -- and we have your name! --
in the 450-seat Duma, calls for countries to send parliamentary
members of the Iraqi capital on Mar 4 through 7.

Washington. NEW PRISON CAMP! Following stories about suicides, the US
military will soon open up a new medium-security prison for suspects
from the US's war on terrorism in Afghanistan.  The plan could
eventually lead to the repatriation of most of the 650 prisoners at
the US Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay.  The decision to build "Camp IV"
came in a wk that saw the 19th attempted suicide in recent wks, mostly
by men trying to hang themselves in their cells.  There is also
renewed pressure to release some prisoners, or at least allow them to
see lawyers.  A military rep said the new facility would open in about
2 wks, and would house medium-security prisoners who had already
undergone interrogation by US military intel.  Instead of strapping
prisoners to stretchers for transport between cell and interrogation
centres, the new Camp will feature day rooms and sports areas.

London. GURKHAS WITHOUT EQUAL!  A group of Gurkhas has lost their
discrimination battle against the Brit govt with a court rejecting an
equal pay claim to bring their pensions and other perks into line with
their Brit Army counterparts.  The world-renowned Nepalese fighters
from the Himalayas have served the Empire since 1815, putting their
knives and lives on the line in numerous bloody encounters through 2
world wars. But while the pay and conditions of the Brit Army have
kept pace with modern times, the Gurkhas are still shackled to a
colonial-era agreement dating back to 1947.

Jerusalem. POOR LITTLE SAMPSON!  In recent wks the Israeli Defence
Force has dutifully accelerated the nation's preparations for a
possible attack from Saddam Hussein's supposed long-range missiles and
WMD.  But even as the latest fashion in gas masks parades on TV, and
"sealed rooms" prepared, and water and food hoarded, the Govt is
assuring citizens on the other hand that the probability of a strike
by Iraq is much lower than during Gulf War I, when Scuds hit Israel.
According to Israeli intel sources, Pres Saddam is less likely to
target Israel this time because such an attack would tend to prove
he'd lied about his weapons programs. The intel says Baghdad is
pinning its hopes of survival on a posture as a victim of US
aggression. Using offensive weapons would negate that posture.

Baghdad. SHIELDS AT THE READY OVER IRAQI SEWAGE PLANT!  The first
group of human shields have taken up positions around the capital in a
campaign to prevent an attack by the US and allies.  The group of 17,
from Spain, Italy, Morocco, Finland and Sweden, has settled down in
simple cots in a recreation room of the Apr 7 sewage treatment plant
in N Baghdad. They will be joined by other activists from the Human
Shields project, spending 12 hr shifts at the facility.

Tokyo. JAPAN TALKING NUKES!  Faced with the threat of nuclear attack
by North Korea, Japan has decided to arm itself with nuclear weapons.
At one time this scenario would have been unthinkable, with Japan's
war-renouncing constitution and dark and painful memories of nuclear
attack.  But NK is posing Japan's greatest post-war security threat.
The talk among Japan's power elites is of preparing for the worst, a
possible missile attack, and possibly a nuclear strike, from NK.
Outgoing S Korean Pres Kim Dae-jung spoke last wk of both Japan and
South Korea starting nuclear weapons programs. Washington's top Asian
Envoy, Jim Kelly, said NK had forced Japan to "rethink all its
positions".
In the next 12 m the mayor of Hiroshima may be forced to draft another
in the series of 585 protest letters that hang in the city's Peace
Museum. This time he won't be protesting nuclear tests, or the
threatened withdrawal of some country from the nuclear
non-proliferation conventions.  This one will be addressed to
Junichiro Koizumi.

NY. SMALL ARMS, THE REAL WMD!  The big ticket items on display at
airshows and other military fares are one thing.  But the real weapons
of mass destruction are the world's small arms.  Planet Earth is awash
with arms. While the great fear of the West today is nuclear, chem or
bio weapons, it is small arms -- pistols, submachine-guns, and assault
rifles -- that generate the massive death tolls.
According to a recent UN report, there are 639 mn small arms in the
world, and they cause 1/2 mn deaths annually -- greatly exceeding all
the deaths caused by the atomic weapons that were dropped on Hiroshima
and Nagasaki.
And of the est 5 mn deaths caused by war during just the last decade,
90% were non-combatants, more than 1/2 of them women and
children. UNICEF says that between 1986 and 1996 2 mn children were
killed in the world's armed conflicts, and 6 mn permanently disabled
or seriously injured.  It also estimates that 2/3 of the children of
Angola have witnessed at least one murder.
In the Dec BMJ Southall & O'Hare writing on the effects of arms
trading on families say the diff in the wealth in arms making and arms
buying countries is "so great that they question the humanity of the
arms exporting countries".  Many of the weapons were stockpiled left
over from the Cold War.  And often they were sold to both sides of a
conflict.
The UN has for years tried to control the proliferation of small arms,
but is hampered by the fact all 5 permanent members of the Sec Council
are big exporters.
The world is spooked by talk of WMD falling into the "wrong
hands". Small arms are WMD, and already are in the wrong hands.

Caracas. POLICE HUNT STRIKE BOSS!  Police are still hunting for the
leader of the country's largest labour group after Pres Chavez issued
a warrant for his arrest. Carlos Ortega is wanted for helping organise
a 2-m general strike that's devastated the nation's oil industry and
economy.  Ortega is the Pres of the Venezuelan Workers Confederation.
He remains in hiding after strike co-leader Carlos Fernandez, the
leader of the nation's largest business group, was arrested yesterday
on treason and racketeering charges yesterday.

Sydney. WHEAT TRADE RESTORED! Iraq has reportedly sent its thanks to
Aussie anti-war protesters by announcing the resumption of wheat
imports worth $100s mn. The Weekend Australian says Iraqi leaders were
buoyed by the sight of 1/2 mn Aussie demonstrators last weekend.  The
paper says in response, Iraqi Trade Min Mohamed Saleh has sent what
amounts to a massive thank you note.  The Fed Govt is reportedly
"skeptical" over the offer. Trade Min Mark Vaile said the Iraqi Govt
is "just trying to score points".  He said the Iraqis were just
returning to a contract they were legally bound by anyway.  The AWB
said it has yet to see official notification of the U-turn.

Sydney. COMMISSION WITHOUT INTEGRITY! The NSW govt is reportedly
taking steps to dismantle the Police Integrity Commission.  The
Australian says the PIC has fallen from grace with snr elements of the
legal profession, who claim the body is unaccountable. Lawyers also
say the PIC destroys lawyer-client priv with its compulsion powers.
The paper says 2 former PIC officials also have cast doubt on their
own integrity.

NY. KA-BOOM! NO, NOT THE OIL!  An explosion has rocked an oil storage
facility at the edge of Staten Is, NYC, killing 1 worker.  The blast
was followed by a huge fire that sent black smoke and flames 100s of
ft into the air. Authorities say there were no indications of
terrorism. Police say a man's body was pulled from the water 3 hr
after the fire started.  Another man is reported in serious condition
is hosp, and another is still missing.  The explosion occurred when a
barge containing 100,000 bbl of unleaded gasoline was being offloaded
at the 81 ha storage facility.  With NYC on high alert, the pall of
thick black smoke rising from the Island had many thinking it was a
repeat of 9/11.  The Dow Jones fell, and oil rose by $US1/bbl.  But
within hrs officials said it was an accident and the situation
returned to paranoia.

Melbourne. NO, NOT THE OIL!  Melbourne petrol pries have hit an
all-time high, with unleaded petrol retailing for more than $A1.05/L
across city outlets. [The Age reports the max price was $A1.09/L, an
all-time high]. RACV ngr of govt services, David Cuming, says petrol
in most Vic regional centres also jumped today.  Mr Cuming says there
will be little relief from the record prices until midway through next
wk when routine price cuts kick in.  However, he says the relief will
also be short-lived, with motorists likely to face a similar rise next
wk. The price of retail petrol is not so much based on the price of
crude, but an artificial shortage world-wide caused by nations trying
to stockpile ahead of an expected war with Iraq. Despite a 1/2 mn bbl
a day increase in production by OPEC, the price diff between crude and
refined product has doubled from its usual $US3.50/bbl.

Canberra. NATIONAL HEALTH SYS! Following a public slanging match
between state and Commonwealth health officials that's seen the
Federal Min for Health refuse to attend funding meetings this wk, the
Aus Democrats say the argument should end and an independent arbiter
appointed. Dem health rep Lyn Allison says her party supports the prev
Labor call for an indep statutory authority to determine health
funding.  Sen Allison says the Commonwealth and states don't seem to
be making any progress on a matter which affects everyone in the
community, so politics should be removed from the equation.

Sydney. NSW HEALTH SYS! With doctors warning the hospital system
nation-wide is in danger of imminent collapse, the NSW state opp'n
says patients in ambulances are being turned away from hosp emergency
depts at increasing rates.  Records obtained under FOI show the number
of ambulance rejections last Nov were almost twice the level of the
same m the prev y. Opp'n leader John Brogden says the state's health
system is in crisis.

Melbourne. CHRIST, IT'S 2 AM!  Peter Joel expected life in a Flinders
St appt would be noisy. But awaking with a start at 2 am on Fri to be
told he was about to stuck down for his sins was not on the lease.
The message was coming from an evangelical Christian group on the
steps of Flinders St stn, by way of a PA system.  Mr Joel lay awake
every Fri and Sat hearing that Hell was waiting for him.  Complaints
to the City Council did no good. He was told they were loath to
infringe the rights of religious groups.  Police did eventually get
the spruikers to turn the volume down a bit. But Mr Joel says there is
no long-term solution in sight. "They're out there as loud as they
can be", he told The Age.

Wellington. Forget Iraq! There's something wrong with NZ!  When
researchers took a look at NZ's population in 1982 they found 70 mn
sheep, about 28 per human inhabitant.  But this has since shrunk by
more than 1/2, with farmers resorting to cows and grapes to make some
cash.  NZ is gaining an international reputation as a producer of
sauvingnon blanc, or nearest equivalent.  More land is now devoted to
the grape than any other kind of fruit, incl the Chinese goozy.

Sydney. STATE ELECTION! The NSW govt has launched its animal
protection policy, announcing plans to double the fines for people
convicted of animal cruelty to $22,000.  Prem Bob Carr announced the
move today. Those convicted under the new rules will also face a max 2
y in jail.  The RSPCA investigated more than 23,300 cruelty complaints
in NSW in 2001/02, laying almost 360 charges.

Sydney. FLOODS HAVE PUT THE BUSHFIRES OUT!  After suffering through a
y of drought, the C W NSW town of Mudgee has been hit with flooding
overnight.  Local police Insp Richard Brown says about 40 homes were
flooded, with 3 people evacuated. Several roads in the area remain
closed as the clean-up begins today.  The SYD Bur of Met says Mudgee
recorded the state's highest rainfall -- 174 mm in the 24 hr to 9 am
today.  The official town gauge says 197 mm.

>>>
NY. MARKETS! The Dow and Nasdaq rose by around 1.3% overnight on
bargain hunting.  All 5 of the biggest caps rose.
The DJIA closed above 8000.

----------------------------------------
Sun, 23 Feb 2003.

Durham. HEART-LUNG PATIENT DIES! A 17 yo girl who survived long enough
to get a 2nd set of organs after a first, botched, operation has
died. A rep for Duke Uni Medical Centre says Jessica Santilan was
declared brain dead at 1.25 pm local.  She was taken off life-support
at around 5 pm.  The death came after signs yesterday of brain
swelling.  Earlier, a lawyer for the family said they'd wanted to keep
Jessica alive while they sought a 2nd opinion on her chances for recovery.

Karachi. SNIPERS! Unknown snipers have gunned down 9 Shiite Muslims as
at mosque in Karachi.  Police say men were killed in the shooting at
Imambargah Mehdi Shiite mosque in Malir Halt, an E district of
Karachi.  They say some unknown gunmen opened fire at the entrance of
the mosque just when people were going for evening prayers.  1000s of
people have been killed in violence between militants from Pakistan's
Sunni and rival Shiite Muslim communities since the late 1980s.

Nablus. Two people have been killed in an Israeli operation in the
heart of Nablus as both sides gear up for talks seen as "key" to the
future of the nearly 29-mo Palestinian uprising. The Palestinian
leadership has stepped up pressure on militant groups to agree to a
y-long moratorium on violence.  Talks are planned in Cairo on Mon
aimed at formalising the moratorium on attacks against Israel.

West Warwick. CLUB TOLL NOW 96! US authorities have begun the
painstaking task of ID-ing dozens of charred bodies from the RI
nightclub fire that killed at least 96 people.  The ME's office has
only positively ID-ed 15 victims.  It says it will use dental records,
fingerprints and DNA to ID many more who are burned beyond
recognition.  Meanwhile, investigators are still sifting for evidence
in the smoking ruins of the club where pyrotechnics sparked the blaze.

Kuwait. NO, NOT THE CHICKENS!  Americans are busy buying up chickens.
The birds are to be attached to the roofs of armoured vehicles, where
they'll act as early-warning systems for chemical attack.  Come the
war, fowl fatalities are expected to be huge.  Aftermath planners are
also worried about the effect on the local fast-food industry.  Some
have argued the casting of France's national bird into the role of
rooftop canary is not without significance.  American servicemen have
been spotted decorating hardware destined for Baghdad with "this one's
for you, Jacques" and "see you in Hell, Thierry".  But although some
characterise the selection as an American revenge fantasy, the US
military only arrived at the choice after a rigid testing program.
Hamsters were found to be clever enough to gnaw through their
harnesses and escape. Dromedaries were not cost-effective. There was
also a problem with attaching them to a hummer's roof rack.

Canberra. POLICY HAS CONSEQUENCES!  For Min Alex Downer says the
threat of terrorist attack would not deter AUS from backing the US in
disarming Iraq by force.  In an apparent admission that disarming Iraq
might not reduce global terrorism, Mr Downer says terrorists will
continue to target W countries, but an attack on Iraq might prompt
them to "amend their timetable".  PM John Howard has previously denied
govt policy on Iraq made Aussies a more likely target of terrorism.
The PM had also called on peaceniks to be aware of the consequences of
their actions as he was aware of the consequences of his own.  Mr
Downer says there was no doubt Aussies, as well as other citizens of
the W, were terrorist targets, as shown by the Bali attack.

Crawford. US Pres Bush Jr has warned the UN Sec Council it has 2 wks to
"prove its mettle" by passing a Resolution authorising military action
against Iraq.  He re-confirmed his stance at a press conf with Spanish
PM Jose Maria Aznar.  Bush has said the 2nd resolution will lay out in
clear and simple terms, for "the boys back in Lubbock", that Iraq is
not complying with a Nov 8 UN ultimatum to disarm or face "serious
consequences".  The American leader has repeatedly threatened he will
strip Iraq of weapons by force if necessary if the UN fails to back him.

NY. Iraq has not responded directly to a letter from UN inspector Hans
Blix. Dr Blix had demanded Iraq destroy all its Al-Samoud 2 missiles,
propellant and rocket engines by Mar 1. Iraq says all such issues
could be resolved as part of on-going co-operation. Iraq has called
for direct talks with US diplomats to head off impending military action.

Washington. DEADLINES, MISSILES AND KURDS!  The US and UK plan to
submit a new Resolution to the UN Sec Council tomorrow, along with a
demand a vote be taken within 3 wks.  The deadline is intended to
curtail debate and negotiations.
The decision came as Washington said it has reached an agreement with
Turkey on the deployment of US troops, currently stranded off the
Turkish coast.  It's understood about $US26 bn will change hands to
encourage Turkey to mount a N offensive against Saddam.  One possible
stumbling block is the US's assent to 1000s of Turkish troops moving
into Kurd-controlled N Iraq and remaining under Turkish command.
Kurdish groups have an historical claim to the area, and have voiced
their strident opposition to the idea. Turkey wants to prevent the
creation of a Kurdish state on its S border, that might act as a
magnet and rallying point for Turkey's own 12 mn ethnic Kurds.
Earlier, Dr Hans Blix had demanded Iraq destroy missiles found to be
in breach of UN rules by the end of the m.  Blix's move had earlier
been mooted as one of several "simple hurdle" the Whitehouse would use
to gather support for military action against Saddam. Either Baghdad
destroys what's believed to be about 100 missiles, thereby losing a
weapon of "self defence" just before a likely conflict, or it fails to
do so and supports the Admin's view the UN process is not working.
Pres Bush and other officials plan a hectic round of meetings in the
next 3 days to find support for the new resolution.  Sources say the
wording is fairly simple. It says Iraq is in material breach of 17 UN
Resolutions, and failed to comply when given a final chance. It will
authorise "disarmament" of the Iraqi regime, calling for the
international community to move forward with the "serious
consequences" mentioned in Res 1441.

Kuala Lumpur. For Min's from 1/2 the world are urging Baghdad to
comply with UN resolutions while also adding their voices to
protesters that oppose war. The declaration came from the Non-Aligned
Movement summit. The ministers say if Iraq cooperates with the UN on
WMD, sanctions imposed on Iraq since the 1991 Gulf War should be
finally lifted.

Tokyo. POWELL TOUR! US Sec of State Colin Powell has begun a 3-nation
Asian tour in Tokyo after announcing a resumption of food aid to North
Korea.  The trip is aimed at forging consensus on how to deal with the
Stalinist state's nuclear program.  However, with Japan, China and SK
reluctant to back the US strategy and rising international opp'n to
Washington's war aims in Iraq, Powell will face a tough sell even with
the "humanitarian" gesture.

London. REVENGE IS SWEET!  Mick Jackson was set up. Well, that's his
story.  Another in what's become a recent series of TV specials about
44 yo weirdos that like sleeping with children has shown an
interviewer lavishing praise on Whacko for his parenting skills and
natural-like interaction with children.  The same fella was much less
complimentary on air.  Clips refuting at least some of the claims made
in recent exposes came from Jacko's own cameras.  While they might put
one Whacko whacker out of the expose business, the revenge part came
when Jacko Inc charged Fox $A4.2 mn for the footage to "clear" his
name.  There has also been renewed interest in the Mayor of
Neverland's music.

Washington. BAD ACCOUNTING! The US Justice Dept has inaccurately
reported the number of terrorism convictions around the US by an
inflated 46% as a result of "misinformation" from US Attorney's
offices.  The GAO found at least 132 of 288 cases were incorrectly
classified as "terrorist related".  The Justice Dept says it agrees
with the GAO's assessment and plans stronger oversight of data sent to
Washington.  Next they'll be matching felons by only 4 letters in
their names!

Sydney. WAR POLL! A new poll has found growing support for AUS to be
involved on an attack on Iraq, despite last weekend's record
demonstrations against military action.  SYD's Sun-Herald says 24% of
respondents support AUS joining a war against Iraq without UN
approval, up from 6%. The poll also says 67% of the 600 respondents
support a war with UN backing, while 29% are opposed to any war
against Iraq.

Sydney. STATE POLL!  A new poll shows the NSW govt has a commanding
lead at 58%, but the gap is closing.  With 4 wks to go before the
state election, the Libs have 42% vote after simulated preferences.
The Sun-Herald/Taverner poll in 6 marginal Labor seats says the ALP
may lose the seat of Menai -- where anger over traffic issues has put
the Liberal opp'n well ahead.  However, to win the Mar 22 election
Opp'n leader John Brogden must get a huge 9% swing.

Sydney. STATE ELECTION!  The NSW govt has announced a $223 mn program
to tackle crime through drug education, treatment and rehabilitation.
Prem Bob Carr launched the policy at the Ted Noffs Foundation in SYD,
which helps young people with drug and alcohol problems.  Mr Carr said
drug addition was probably the biggest cause of crime, so money
invested in drug treatment was actually crime prevention.

Canberra. PEOPLE SMUGGLER!  After failing to extradite a high-profile
people smuggler from Indonesia, the Fed Govt says an Iraqi suspect has
arrived in AUS after extradition from Thailand.  Justice Min Chris
Ellison says Ali Hassan Abdolamir Al Jenabi is the first suspect to be
brought to AUS for trial on people-smuggling charges.  Sen Ellison
says AFP officers escorted Al Jenabi to Darwin yesterday. He's being
held in custody pending an appearance before the Darwin Magistrates
Court tomorrow. It's reported Al Jenabi faces about 2 dozen charges
and could receive up to 20 y jail if found guilty.

Canberra. NO WINDFALL! Despite comments from Treas officials, Fed Treas
Peter Costello said the Commonwealth won't get a $700 mn tax windfall
from rises in petrol prices.  Prices have risen in most state capitals
in the past 2 wks, averaging over $1/L for unleaded.  Opp'n Treas rep
Bob McMullan says analysts on tax numbers confirm suspicions the
Howard govt will get an extra $A600 mn tax windfall from higher retail
petrol prices.

Big Bear City. CAL QUAKE! A mag 5.4 quake has shaken S Cal, jarring
residents awake as far S as San Diego, and rattling windows in
downtown LA.  There are no immediate reports of injuries or serious
damage.  The quake hit about 6 km N of Big Bear City, a mtn resort
town 150 km E of downtown LA.  It was followed by a mag 4.5 jolt 1
min later, then a mag 4.2 and dozens of smaller aftershocks.

Melbourne. Continuing rain is allowing firefighters in Vic's
fire-ravaged NE to get up close to the blaze.  Dept of Sust and Env
rep Ross Penny said the rain has helped make the fires less erratic
and that's allowed crews to tackle the flames directly.  The main
Bogong fire, which stretches from Mt Buffalo in the W to the NSW
border and to the Tubbut area in E Gippsland, is still active.
Newspapers today say the fire bill for Vic is $60 mn so far, about $2
mn a day.

----------------------------------------
Mon, 24 Feb 2003.

Gaza City. An Israeli soldier and 10 other people have been killed as
Israeli forces staged a deadly new raid into the Gaza Strip.  The Army
has taken over the N town of Beit Hanun and turned houses into
military posts in a bid to stamp out rocket attacks by Islamic
militants.  Hamas has fired dozens of the missiles into Israel from
the town, provoking bloody raids and sparking fears Israel could
launch a full-scale re-occupation of the Strip at the same time its US
ally attacks Iraq.

NY. 2 people have been killed in Kentucky as America's Big Freeze
continues.

Baghdad. Iraq says it's "considering" UN demands to destroy banned
missiles to avert war, as Washington launches a diplomatic drive to
ensure backing for a new resolution paving the way for military
intervention.  UN chief insp Hans Blix has demanded Iraq start
destroying the Al-Samoud 2 weapons from Mar 1.  Yesterday Pres Bush
indicated even if Iraq promptly destroys the missiles the US could
still launch an attack, because Iraq had a history of non-cooperation
with the UN, he said.  Meanwhile, the US continues to canvas support
for a new UN resolution against Iraq that could be unveiled as early
as today.

Canberra. For Min Alex Downer will use a trip to Korea today to
mobilise support for a new UN Sec Council resolution that's likely to
give Iraq only days before facing military action. Mr Downer will
discuss the resolution and ways to mobilise support for it with US Sec
of State Colin Powell in Seoul.  Mr Powell was visiting China
yesterday as part of the US effort to gather support from Sec Council
members for "strong action" against Baghdad. Mr Downer said the new
resolution would be a message to Saddam that he has only a few days
left to live.  Elsewhere, Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohammad again warned
AUS a war on Iraq would be considered a war on Islam.  Speaking at the
Non-Aligned Nations meeting, Mahathir said military action against
Iraq would promote more terrorism in the region.

Canberra. Following criticism the Fed Govt was too focused on the
Iraqi crisis, PM John Howard has ordered his Ministers to concentrate
on domestic matters.  Provided they don't spend any money; that's all
allocated to defence spending this y.  Small Bus Min Joe Hocking told
national TV the duck was still swimming across the lake. He didn't
SEEM drunk.

Brisbane.  Farmers are complaining the price of meat shows middlemen
are ripping off ordinary Aussies.  They say with drought conditions
over meat-growing areas they're getting 91 c/kg for their prime beef,
but in the supermarkets it's sold for as much as $26/kg.  Hmm. If
they're all making std market returns that means there are 34
middlemen!  Retailers deny they're making unreasonable profits, saying
they're doing it tough under the present economic conditions.

Brisbane. Heavy rain overnight has helped ease the drought in SE
Qld. However it's increased the number of road accidents and damaged
some homes. Gold Coast SES controller Peter Linnells says the service
took 70 calls overnight from homeowners reporting damaged roofs and
minor flooding. Snr weather bureau forecaster Bryan Rolstone says
rainfalls of up to 100 mm were recorded in the GC hinterland in the 24
hr to 6 am.

Centurion. Those Canadians!  Having proven they can score under anyone
else, now they're just showing off, scoring the fastest century in
World Cup history.  In just 67 balls John Davison brought up the ton,
with 8 4's and 6 6's against the Windies. In revenge, the Windies
crushed Canada by 7 wkts. Davison will return to his other job,
batting for SA.
Elsewhere, Don Bradman's baggy green for the 1947/8 Test series has
set a record. The auctioneer in MEL declined to state the number, but
said the cap was sold before auction for a record figure. But don't
worry! There are a whole heap more for sale.

========================================

(*) 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.

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