AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, April 2

AAP General News (Australia)
04-02-2010
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, April 2
Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130


Easter Pope (ROME)

The paedophile priest scandals rocking the Roman Catholic Church have cast a pall over
pre-Easter celebrations as Pope BENEDICT XVI avoided direct references to the crisis.

Celebrating Maundy Thursday mass at Rome's Saint John in Lateran Basilica .. the pontiff
commemorated Christ's Last Supper by washing the feet of 12 priests representing the apostles
in a symbol of humility.

Earlier .. the pope made an oblique reference to the scandals as he recalled Jesus
preaching to turn the other cheek.

The scandals have engulfed churches across Europe as well as the United States over
the past five months.

BENEDICT himself has come under intense pressure with allegations published in the
New York Times that .. as archbishop of Munich and later as the chief Vatican enforcer
of Catholic doctrine and morals .. he failed to act against priests accused of child abuse.



Easter Hart (MELBOURNE)

In a Good Friday reflection .. Melbourne's Catholic Archbishop DENIS HART says the
cross represents the light of God and triumph over death.

He says today's called Good Friday because of the limitless love of God.

Anglican Archbishop Dr PHILIP FREIER .. in his Easter message .. says at this time
of the year we remember Jesus .. who died on the cross to set us free.

He's singled out youth worker HUGH EVANS and refugee lawyer JESSIE TAYLOR as two people
with a passion to make a real difference in the world.



Easter Sales (SYDNEY)

Sales of Easter eggs are expected to dip this holiday season .. as consumers opt to
buy their loved one gifts instead.

Market research group IBISWorld says confectionary sales are likely to fall by 0.5
per cent, from the same time a year ago.

IBISWorld general manager Australia ROBERT BRYANT says the trend to give gifts rather
than traditional Easter eggs has grown in popularity over the past few years.

The firm has forecast consumers to spend 16.4 million dollars on gifts .. particularly
for small children .. this Easter .. up 3.6 per cent from last year.



Williams Rudd (LOS ANGELES)

Furious Alabama residents have hit out at Australian Prime Minister KEVIN RUDD and
demanded he issue an apology for his redneck comment.

US media organisations .. including the New York Times and FOX News .. picked up RUDD's
remarks .. which followed US comedian ROBIN WILLIAMS joking Australians are basically
English rednecks.

Alabama newspaper .. the Birmingham News .. ran an "Australia vs Alabama" headline
on the most prominent section of its website and asked readers to comment.

They didn't hold back .. with one accusing Rudd of making a "racial epithet" while
another wrote "if it weren't for some Alabamians fighting in the war .. the Australians
would be speaking Japanese".

Another threatened to go to the zoo and punch a kangaroo in protest.



Boat Phone (SYDNEY)

Asylum-seekers floating in a boat off Christmas Island used a mobile phone to alert
WA police to their presence .. it has been claimed.

The vessel was intercepted by Navy patrol ship HMAS Broome on Wednesday night and escorted
to Christmas Island.

It's led to federal Opposition claims that border protection workers are now being
used a taxi service.

Opposition immigration spokesman SCOTT MORRISON says the people smuggling business
has become an absolute machine-like operation.

A Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman wouldn't confirm that a mobile phone onboard
the refugee boat was used to alert authorities.



Bikies (SYDNEY)

Detectives say an alleged multi-million dollar bikie drugs syndicate has been smashed
and a secret narcotics laboratory in Sydney's west closed following a series of raids.

Police found 10kg of methylamphetamine .. commonly known as ice .. with an estimated
value of 5 million dollars during a raid on the alleged drugs factory at an industrial
unit in St Marys on Thursday.

They also found 4kg of the precursor substance pseudoephedrine and a rifle with ammunition.

In co-ordinated raids three men were arrested at properties in and around St Mary's
and in Rockdale .. in Sydney's south.

A fourth man was arrested early this morning in central Sydney.



Assaults (SYDNEY)

Police say an alleged serial sex attacker accused of carrying out a string of indecent
assaults in Sutherland Shire .. Sydney's south.

The 34-year-old man was arrested outside a house in Renwick Street .. Marrickville
.. about 9pm (AEDT) yesterday.

He was charged with aggravated indecent assault .. theft .. and kidnap and is due to
front Parramatta Local Court today.

It follows four attacks on women in Woolooware .. Sutherland .. Kirrawee .. and Gymea
dating back to October.

During one of the alleged incidents a woman was shoved to the ground .. indecently
assaulted then robbed.




Briefly in other news ..



US Abortion (Wichita)

Born-again Christian SCOTT ROEDER who said he killed a prominent US abortion doctor
to save the lives of unborn babies has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance
of parole for 50 years.



Afghan Karzai (Kabul)

Afghan president HAMID KARZAI has launched a stinging rebuke of the international community,
blaming widespread fraud in last year's Afghan elections on embassies and UN and EU officials.



US Floods (Framingham)

US President BARACK OBAMA has made an unannounced visit to the water-logged northeastern
United States, where he met disaster officials responding to the region's worst floods
in decades.



in Sport ..



Surfing World (MELBOURNE)

Competition is finally underway again at Bells Beach after two lay days in the Rip
Curl Pro surfing event.

The women are into their third round in two-foot conditions.

Organisers say the surf forecast looks challenging so they're making the most of the conditions.

World number one STEPHANIE GILMORE and defending champion SILVANA LIMA of Brazil will
be in action.



Golf PGA (HOUSTON, Texas)

Australian CAMERON PERCY is only one stroke from the lead late in the opening round
at the Houston Open in Texas.

PERCY, a US Tour rookie, has coped with a stiff afternoon breeze to go four-under after
13 holes at Redstone, while American KEVIN STADLER leads after a five-under 67 earlier
in the day.

Best of the other Australians is ADAM SCOTT on three-under 69, with STUART APPLEBY on 70.



Tennis US Men (MIAMI, Florida)

Czech giant-killer TOMAS BERDYCH has continued his great run in the Miami Open, defeating
Spain's FERNANDO VERDASCO in the quarter-finals.

BERDYCH rallied after dropping the first set to book his spot in the last four with
a 4-6 7-6 (7-5) 6-4 victory over VERDASCO.

BERDYCH, who upset world number one ROGER FEDERER in the previous round, will face
either fifth seeded Swede ROBIN SODERLING or Russia's MIKHAIL YOUZHNY in the semi-finals.

The other men's semi-final has already been set, with world number four RAFAEL NADAL
due to take on American ANDY RODDICK.



ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP

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