NSW: Teen drown victim may have been playing game

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NSW: Teen drown victim may have been playing game

Police say a 16-year-old boy who drowned in a backyard swimming pool in Sydney's northwestmay have been the victim of an innocent game.

The teenager got into difficulties while playing with three friends in the pool inTeak Place in Cherrybrook yesterday afternoon.

Police are investigating reports the teenager was playing a game to see who could holdtheir breath the longest under water.

The teenager was unconscious when he was pulled from the water by his friends and a neighbour.

Attempts to revive him failed.

Police are interviewing friends and neighbours who were there when the teenager died.

A report is being prepared for the coroner.

AAP RTV sal/jmt>

KEYWORD: DROWN (SYDNEY)

Fed: US strike against Iraq unlikely to be imminent: PM =2

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Fed: US strike against Iraq unlikely to be imminent: PM =2

The prime minister appeared to be at odds with his Foreign Minister Alexander Downer,who yesterday said the risk of a war was very high.

"I am saying there is a very high risk of war. Of course there is. We have been veryfrank with the Australian public about that," Mr Downer said yesterday.

But Mr Howard called for a degree of perspective to be brought to the debate on Iraq.

"I think this whole discussion has got to have a sense of proportion and a sense ofperspective," he said.

"We're not dealing here with a potential world war, we're dealing here with concern,very legitimate concern, about the failure of a country to comply with Security Councilresolutions."

Mr Howard also said critics should remember where the seeds for a possible conflict were sown.

"People should remember that the current situation is that Iraq is in continuing breachof a resolution of the Security Council of the United Nations and this seems to be forgottenin the lather of rhetoric coming from the Greens and others about some hypothetical involvementby Australia," he said.

AAP so/apm

KEYWORD: IRAQ AUST HOWARD 2 CANBERRA

SA: NSW man dies in car rollover

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SA: NSW man dies in car rollover

A 24-year-old New South Wales man was killed in a car rollover in South Australia'sRiverland overnight.

Police say the accident occurred on the Sturt Highway, about 1 km east of Yamba.

AAP RTV la/rt

KEYWORD: TOLL SA (ADELAIDE)

NSW: Fire damages building on Sydney's lower north shore

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NSW: Fire damages building on Sydney's lower north shore

Police and the NSW Fire Brigades are investigating the cause of a fire that substantiallydamaged a building on Sydney's middle harbour.

Police say emergency services personnel responded to the fire at The Spit, after asecurity monitoring service raised the alarm shortly …

Vic: Snow report, 27 August

AAP General News (Australia)
08-27-2001
Vic: Snow report, 27 August

The Victorian snow report for Monday, August 27:

Falls Creek: Snow Depth: 128cm. Lifts: 15/16. Very good skiing across most areas of
the resort. Cross country: Excellent skiing on an excellent cover, 54kms of groomed trails.

Mt Hotham: Snow Depth: 139cm. Lifts: 12/13 plus one standby. Excellent skiing and boarding
on a groomed cover of fresh snow. Cross Country: Very good to excellent on groomed trails,
Hotham to Dinner Plain.

Mt Buller: Snow Depth: 75cm. Lifts: 23/25 plus two standby. Very good to excellent
conditions in most areas open. Cross country: Very good conditions on 9km of trails.

Mt Baw Baw: Snow depth: 55cm. Lifts: 4/7. Very good on an excellent cover of fresh
groomed snow. Cross country: Excellent on fresh snow on resort trails. Good on Nat Park
trails, including St Gwinwar link.

Lake Mountain: Snow depth: 50cm. Cross country: Excellent skiing on an excellent groomed
cover, upper and lower trails.

Mt Buffalo: Snow depth: 35cm. Lifts: 4/5. Very good skiing and boarding on a fresh
cover. Cross Country: Good to very good on groomed trails.

Dinner Plain: Snow depth: 60cm. Lifts: 1/1. Lift open for very good downhill skiing.

Cross Country: Best on sheltered trails among trees.

Mt Stirling: Snow depth: 30cm. Cross country: Excellent on a very good cover on upper
trails and lower trails.

Mt St Gwinear: Snow depth: 55cm. Cross country: Very good on a very good cover on the
main trail.

Mt Donna Buang: Snow depth: 40cm. Good sightseeing and snow play.

AAP RTV svm/pc

KEYWORD: SNOW VIC (MELBOURNE)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Fed: Labor hits back at govt superannuation levy claims

AAP General News (Australia)
04-10-2001
Fed: Labor hits back at govt superannuation levy claims

The opposition rejects government claims it plans to lift the compulsory superannuation
levy paid by employers to 15 per cent.

A report in the Weekend Australian suggests a Labor government intends to raise the
employer's contribution to 15 per cent from nine per cent.

The article prompted a stinging attack from Prime Minister JOHN HOWARD, who said it
will cost 200,000 jobs.

But Opposition leader KIM BEAZLEY yesterday joined his treasury spokesman SIMON CREAN
in denying Labor plans to raise the levy to 15 per cent.

Mr BEAZLEY told reporters in Perth that no member of the Labor Party has ever suggested
any such thing.

He says Labor believes superannuation needs an inquiry because of the mess that Mr
HOWARD's made of the issue.

Mr BEAZLEY agrees with Mr HOWARD, however, that the superannuation guarantee levy should
not rise because it will have a substantial impact on business.

AAP RTV jph/sw/pc/mjm/alt

KEYWORD: SUPER (CANBERRA)

2001 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.

Aust dollar suffers from lack of attention, bonds stronger

AAP General News (Australia)
01-18-2001
Aust dollar suffers from lack of attention, bonds stronger

SYDNEY, Jan 18 AAP - The Australian dollar has slipped a little to noon, mostly for
lack of interest as attention turns to the greenback and the yen.

Domestic bonds, meanwhile, have rallied after a swathe of benign data out of the US
overnight, firming expectations of an impending 50 point rate cut.

"Dollar-yen is the mover of the day, it's jumping around and there's not much happening
in the Aussie market at the moment," said a dealer at IBJ Australia bank.

"Nobody's looking at the moment and the Aussie's sidelined."

In …