HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Aug 17

AAP General News (Australia)
08-17-2008
HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 14:45, Aug 17

BEIJING - Australia's women have stormed to back-to-back Olympic 4x100m medley relay
titles on the final morning at the pool in Beijing today. (Oly08 Swm W4x100M Lead)

BEIJING - Australia claimed the silver medal as American swim superstar Michael Phelps
seized a record eighth Beijing Games gold in the 4x100m relay today. (Oly08 Swm M4x100M)

BEIJING - Grant Hackett has missed out on a third straight Olympic 1500m freestyle
title with Tunisia's Oussama Mellouli holding off the Australian's desperate late charge
in Beijing. (Oly08 Swm M1500fr)

BEIJING - Australia's Cate Campbell won the Olympic bronze medal in the 50m freestyle
as Germany's Britta Steffen completed the swim sprint double in Beijing today. (Oly08
Swm W50fr Lead)

TO COME: Oly08 Swim Aust Nightlead, Oly08 Aust Nightlead.

EDS: Please see separate HIGHLIGHTS OLYMPICS

SYDNEY - The Rudd government has made up to 2,500 visas available for Pacific Islanders
to come to Australia to harvest fruit and vegetables. (Visas)

CANBERRA - The Rudd government's Pacific Island guest worker scheme must be regulated
to ensure employees' rights are protected, a key union says. (Visas AWU)

Visas Nightlead to come

WELLINGTON - Six Australians return home today after a six-day New Zealand climbing
expedition that almost ended in tragedy. (NZ Climbers Daylead)

NZ Climbers Nightlead to come

CANBERRA - Independent senator Nick Xenophon has vowed to oppose the controversial
FuelWatch scheme, but says he won't be horse trading or siding with one political side
against another to get his agenda through the Senate. (Petrol Xenophon)

CANBERRA - The Rudd government intends to fight to push FuelWatch through the Senate,
Treasurer Wayne Swan says. (Petrol Swan)

Petrol Nightlead to come

CANBERRA - Multiple tours of duty in places like Afghanistan and Iraq could lead to
health problems in the future - and the government must ensure all veterans can access
the help they need, Veterans' Affairs Minister Alan Griffin says. (Veterans Griffin)

CANBERRA - Defence force investigators may be a step closer to solving the mystery
of Australia's last missing soldier from the Vietnam war. (Soldier)

Veterans Nightlead to come

SYDNEY - Cancer experts have called for a hard-hitting approach to obesity, similar
to the anti-tobacco campaign to stop the fat epidemic driving up breast and bowel cancer
rates. (Obesity)

SYDNEY - The number of Australians having weight loss surgery to shed kilograms has
escalated 20-fold in the past two decades, a study of West Australians suggests. (Bariatric)

DENPASAR - Convicted Australian drug smuggler Schapelle Corby has had three months
cut from her 20-year sentence as part of Indonesia's independence day celebrations, an
official says. (Indon Corby)

SYDNEY - Commonwealth Bank of Australia Ltd (CBA) chief executive Ralph Norris says
the credit crunch, which dragged on the bank's full-year earnings, is likely to last another
12 to 18 months. (CBA Norris)

MELBOURNE - BHP Billiton Ltd, the world's biggest mining company, is set to deliver
a record annual profit in excess of $US15 billion ($A17.26 billion), underpinned by a
strong result from its petroleum division. (BHP Preview)

MELBOURNE - AFL Nightlead to come, with factbox AFL Finals Run charting run home for
teams involved in finals race.

SYDNEY - Latest on Sonny Bill Williams deal and wrap of round 23 action. (League Nightlead,
to come)

BRNO - World champion Casey Stoner battled with flu-like symptoms today to claim his
sixth successive pole position for Sunday's Czech Republic Grand Prix. (Motorcycle Prix
Daylead)

Motorcycle Prix Nightlead to come after event tonight, around 2400 AEST

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KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL

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