AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Dec 30

AAP General News (Australia)
12-30-2007
AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Evening, Dec 30
Evening Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1630


Bulgarian Stabbing (CANBERRA)

An Australian man is expected to be charged with murder after a fatal stabbing in Bulgaria.

The 21-year-old from NSW was arrested on Friday after an alleged incident in the Bulgarian
capital Sofia.

The Australian is alleged to have stabbed ANDREI CHRISTOV MANOV .. the 20-year-old
son of prominent Bulgarian psychotherapist CRISTO MANOV.

Mr MANOV died on the way to hospital .. reportedly from a stab wound that pierced his heart.

Bulgarian media have reported prosecutors plan to charge the young man with murder
in Sofia Regional Court either today or tomorrow.



Melanie (PERTH)

Tropical cyclone Melanie is still running parallel to the West Australian Pilbara coast
today .. but is unlikely to dump much rain.

The category two storm was 410 kilometres northwest of Karratha and 415km north of
Exmouth at 9.40am (WDT) and travelling southwest at 18 kilometres an hour.

Senior weather forecaster ANDREW BURTON says no significant rain is expected and cyclone
warnings for the Pilbara coast are likely to be lifted later today.

He says the storm should head away from the coast .. but there's still potential for
gusts of up to 120 kilometres an hour in coastal communities between Coral Bay and Mardie.



Bushfires WA (PERTH)

A major West Australian highway has been closed after a bushfire jumped containment
lines near the Boorabbin National Park.

With strong winds and 43 degree heat .. fire fighters are under pressure to contain
the blaze which has burnt more than five thousand hectares 80km east of Southern Cross.

Department of Environment and Conservation Incident Controller BARRY HOOPER says the
fire has crossed to the southern side of Great Eastern Highway between Yellowdine and
Coolgardie.

The blaze is being fanned by northerly winds putting pressure on the southern flank of the fire.



Toll National (SYDNEY)

The national holiday road toll has risen to 33 with the deaths of a cyclist in Queensland
and car accidents in NSW and Western Australia.

Victoria still has the highest road toll in the nation at 11 .. after two young men
died in separate accidents yesterday.

Seven people have been killed in Western Australia .. six in NSW and four in Queensland.

There have been two deaths in South Australia and one each in the Northern Territory
.. the ACT and Tasmania.



Anthrax (SYDNEY)

Anthrax has now been detected at eight farms in NSW's Upper Hunter region .. but authorities
say their control efforts are working.

The Department of Primary Industries says the number of cattle deaths resulting from
the deadly outbreak has stalled at about 30.

BRETT FIFIELD from the DPI says that's a sign vaccination is beginning to take effect.

He says the eight properties under quarantine .. range from large holdings with up
to 500 head of stock to smaller farms with less than 30 cattle.

The first deaths resulting from the naturally occurring anthrax were reported on Christmas Eve.



Wadeye (BRISBANE)

Police say calm has been restored to the indigenous community of Wadeye .. southwest
of Darwin .. after riots resulted in 17 arrests this week.

The violence began on Christmas Day and escalated on Boxing Day when hundreds of young
men took to the streets armed with spears .. iron bars .. hammers and machetes.

They destroyed a number of houses .. damaged the roof of the council building and terrified
locals.



Parliament (CANBERRA)

A child care centre in Parliament House will go ahead .. but the federal government
is still trying to work out the best option.

There were reports today that the Labor government had dumped plans for a Parliament
House creche as it would cost parents too much.

But Labor MP TRISH CROSSIN has denied the report and says the government is still considering
its options.

But the federal opposition says politicians shouldn't expect any special deals on child
care at Parliament House in Canberra.

Ccommunity services spokesman TONY ABBOTT says the cost appears reasonable .. and if
Prime Minister KEVIN RUDD is fair dinkum about giving women a fair go in politics .. it'll
go ahead with the centre.



Eve Finance (SYDNEY)

A new survey reveals almost half of all Australians have no insurance and close to a
third are worried about their financial future.

The Citibank research shows little more than one-fifth of the population has enough
savings to sustain them beyond three months if they lost a job.

The bank's CAMERON McLEOD says Australians need greater saving discipline.

He says people need to stop burying their heads in the sand and make 2008 the year to get ahead.



in Sport ..



Cricket Aust (MELBOURNE)

Fast bowler MITCHELL JOHNSON is hopeful he and his fellow pacemen can continue keeping
India's batsmen under pressure in the second cricket Test at the SCG .. which starts Wednesday.

JOHNSON says he, BRETT LEE and STUART CLARK were happy with the way they restricted
India's star-studded batsmen during the first Test at the MCG, which Australia won by
337 runs.

JOHNSON .. who picked up a career-best three for 21 in the final innings of the match
.. is also pleased the early finish gave the side a rest day before going into the second
Test.

Australia's Sydney-based players are travelling home today .. while the remainder of
the squad will fly north tomorrow.



Cricket India (MELBOURNE)

India haS vowed to become more positive and attacking in the second cricket Test against
Australia at the SCG.

The tourists' batsmen in particular were stifled by Australia's good bowling in the
first Test at the MCG, and were twice bowled out for under 200 as the home side won by
337 runs.

Interim coach LALCHAND RAJPUT says India want to lift their aggression, approach and
intensity in the field in the second Test.

RAJPUT says the tourists will wait to look at conditions in Sydney before deciding
if there'll be any changes to the side.



Sail SydHob (HOBART)

Almost two-thirds of the Sydney to Hobart yacht fleet have now completed the race.

Only 29 of the fleet of 79 have yet to reach Hobart .. although several of the smaller
boats are not expected to arrive until tomorrow.

Among the finishers today was Challenge .. skippered by 80-year-old LOU ABRAHAMS.

ABRAHAMS is competing in the race for a record-equalling 44th time.



Tennis Women (GOLD COAST, Qld)

Belarusian VICTORIA AZARENKA has eliminated two-time winner AI SUGIYAMA of Japan from
the Australian Women's Hardcourt tennis tournament on the Gold Coast.

AZARENKA defeated SUGIYAMA 6-2 6-3 on centre court while Frenchwoman NATHALIE DECHY
earlier beat China's ZI YAN in straight sets.



ENDS EVENING ROUND-UP

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