AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Dec 27Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130
Korea Aust (CANBERRA)
The federal government's confirmed that plans to open an Australian embassy in NorthKorea have been put on hold.
Foreign Affairs Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER says plans to open the embassy in Pyongyanghave been shelved because of the tense stand-off over North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
Mr DOWNER says the government had warned North Korea that normalising relations betweenthe countries could not proceed while the regime refused to comply with nuclear non-proliferationobligations.
But Mr DOWNER says because Australia is only one of three nations which maintain relationswith North Korea, preserving a dialogue is important.
Meanwhile, the federal opposition says Australia should leave open the possibilityof establishing a diplomatic mission in North Korea to deal with regional security crises.
Opposition foreign affairs spokesman KEVIN RUDD says he supports the decision to shelvethe plan for now, but says it's vital to maintain diplomatic relations.
Korea Nuclear IAEA (UNITED NATIONS)
The head of the International Atomic Energy Agency is accusing North Korea of engagingin nuclear brinkmanship that raises serious concerns at the UN watchdog agency.
IAEA Director-General MOHAMED ELBARADEI says the reprocessing facility at Yongbyonis irrelevant to North Korea's ability to produce electricity.
He says North Korea has no current legitimate peaceful use for plutonium, given thestatus of its nuclear fuel cycle.
ELBARADEI says moving towards restarting its nuclear facilities, and towards producingplutonium, raises serious non-proliferation concerns.
Toll National (SYDNEY)
A trail bike accident on Brisbane's southside last night has brought the national roadtoll to 22 today.
A 17-year-old boy riding a trail bike, and his pillion passenger, crashed into a parkedtrailer on Hakari Street at Crestmead about 9pm (AEST).
The rider was killed instantly, while the passenger suffered multiple injuries andwas transported to Logan Hospital.
Queensland leads the list of fatalities with eight dead.
Six people have died on Victoria's roads, four in New South Wales, three in South Australia,and Western Australia has recorded one death.
Ecstasy (SYDNEY)
Australia's largest ever ecstasy haul, believed to be worth $45 million, has been seizedin Sydney this week.
A joint task force comprising officers from the Australian Federal Police, New SouthWales Police and the New South Wales Crime Commission made the bust on Christmas Eve.
A police spokeswoman says the ecstasy tablets were seized during a raid on a propertyat Sylvania in Sydney's south on Tuesday.
About 250kg of ecstasy or MDMA tablets were allegedly found in the back of a van parkedon the premises.
Police say the haul of more than 700,000 tablets is believed to have an estimated streetvalue of $45 million.
Three men have been charged under the customs act with drug offences and have beenremanded in custody when they appeared in Parramatta Local Court on Christmas Day.
Stab (BRISBANE)
Police say a three-year-old boy has died from stab wounds in the Queensland town ofRockhampton overnight.
Police say officers were called to a Joiner St house just after 6.30pm (AEST), wherethey found the toddler with stab wounds to his chest.
The child died shortly after being admitted to the Rockhampton Base Hospital.
Police say a woman was also taken to hospital and is expected to undergo surgery forher injuries today.
Detention (SYDNEY)
There has reportedly been a stand-off between asylum seekers and officials at the ManusIsland detention centre in Papua New Guinea.
The ABC says the department of Immigration has confirmed that a couple of asylum seekerssustained bruises during the stand-off earlier this week over resettlement plans.
The ABC says fewer than 100 refugees remain at the Manus centre which Papua New Guineahas agreed to host until October next year.
Girl (SYDNEY)
A teenager has been charged in connection with the death of a 15-year-old girl whosebody was found on the banks of a river in north-western New South Wales.
Police discovered the girl's body on the banks of the Darling River at Bourke about2pm (AEDT) yesterday.
Detectives this morning charged a 17-year-old Bourke boy with kidnapping and two countsof assault.
Toddler (SYDNEY)
A toddler is today fighting for her life after almost drowning in a backyard swimming pool.
Police say the 18-month-old girl and a two-year-old boy were left playing inside anenclosed area of a backyard at a house in Tabulam in northern New South Wales but climbedinto an above-ground swimming pool.
A police spokeswoman says the children were at a relative's home for Boxing Day whenthey were left on their own briefly at about 9.15am (AEDT).
Iraq inspectors (BAGHDAD)
Iraq says UN arms experts have found no evidence of weapons of mass destruction inone month of intrusive inspections across the country.
However, there is no comment from the inspectors on the statement by HUSSAM MOHAMMADAMIN, chief of Iraq's National Monitoring Directorate in charge of working with the UNexperts.
UN chief inspector HANS BLIX is to report to the Security Council on January 27 onthe searches, two months to the day that they resumed after a four-year gap.
AMIN says Iraq will submit in the next two days or three a list of hundreds of Iraqiscientists who participated in its previous banned weapons programs.
Iraq submitted a 12,000 page declaration to the United Nations on December 7 in linewith a tough Security Council resolution.
Iraq Turkey (ANKARA)
Washington has reportedly asked for help from Turkish troops and Turkish Kurdish militiawho know mountainous northern Iraq to guide US troops if there is a war against Iraq.
Local newspapers say Turkey's military and civilian leaders have met for a fourth dayto discuss what role to play in a possible war against SADDAM HUSSEIN.
Turkey's expected to agree to allow US troops the use of its bases and soil after ameeting of the National Security Council scheduled tomorrow.
Mideast Palestinian (GAZA CITY)
The Palestinian leadership has blasted the killing by Israel of at least eight Palestinians,saying the renewed violence is part of Israeli Prime Minister ARIEL SHARON'S campaignto get re-elected.
The Palestinian leaders also accuse SHARON of seeking to torpedo Egypt's efforts toget Palestinian militant groups to agree to a ceasefire in the 27-month conflict.
BRIEFLY......
Storms pounded Queensland's southeast for the third consecutive night last night, causingdamage to homes and other property.
Fire has destroyed two rooms and toilet areas at South Australia's Baxter immigrationdetention centre overnight.
A search has resumed for a 25-year-old Brisbane man who disappeared while snorkellingoff the Sunshine Coast yesterday.
Police are seeking assistance in identifying a man who was seriously injured when roughseas swept him out to sea at a beach in Sydney's east yesterday afternoon.
Thousands of people have gathered in Venezuela's capital Caracas for new protests againstPresident HUGO CHAVEZ, and to support a 25-day-old strike.
In FINANCE....
KEY FINANCE MARKERS
At 1121 AEDT the all ordinaries index was 6.5 points WEAKER at 2992.3 while the benchmarkStandard & Poor's ASX/200 index DROPPED 6.8 points to 3026.0.
The Australian dollar was STRONGER at 56.38 US cents compared to its close here onTuesday at 56.18 US cents.
The local currency was WEAKER at 54.39 euro cents compared to its close here on Tuesday at 54.75.
Gold in Sydney was trading $US4.00 HIGHER at $US349.75 per ounce.
In SPORT....
Sail Sydhob (SYDNEY)
Sydney to Hobart pacesetter ALFA ROMEO continues to lead the race by several nautical miles.
Crew members report the boat is making good progress in favourable conditions.
The New Zealand maxi has held the lead for almost the entire race, which has been goingfor 22 hours.
Fifty-five of the 57 starters are still racing and there have been no further reportsof retirements since TRUMPCARD and VALHERU withdrew inside the first hour yesterday.
Cricket Aust )MELBOURNE)
Australian captain STEVE WAUGH is approaching a century on the second day of the BoxingDay Test against England at the MCG.
WAUGH - resuming today on 62 - has moved to 73 to be within sight of his 29th Test century.
Australia is three for 374 with JUSTIN LANGER on 153.
WAUGH will match Sir DONALD BRADMAN'S Australian record for Test match centuries ifhe reaches three figures.
Murray (YARRAWONGA)
Paddlers from Australia and around the world have taken to the Murray River today tocompete in the world's longest canoe race.
About 1,000 paddlers are expected to take part in the event, which got under way atthe northern Victorian town of Yarrawonga this morning.
The competitors' aim is to reach Swan Hill -- five days paddling away, or 404km downriver from the starting line.
Organised to raise funds for charity, the Red Cross-Herald Sun Murray Marathon is inits 34th year.
ENDS MIDDAY ROUNDUP
AAP RTV dl/smb
KEYWORD: MIDDAY ROUND-UP
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