AAP National News Wire Round-Up for Midday, Feb 1Midday Round-Up: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE AAP RTV FILE AT 1130
Derail (SYDNEY)
A total of eight bodies have been extracted from the wreckage of a commuter train thatderailed in Sydney's south.
New South Wales Police have today revised down the number of passengers killed whenthe southbound train left the tracks and smashed into a rockface four kilometres southof Waterfall Station yesterday.
Police say the earlier estimate of nine people killed was a result of extraordinarydifficulties with disaster victim identification at the scene.
The last body, believed to have been pinned under an overturned carriage, was removedat 4.35am (AEDT) today.
All eight bodies have now been taken to Sydney's Glebe Morgue.
Police now believe it's unlikely that any further casualties will be discovered atthe scene, but three passengers remain in critical conditions in hospital.
A total of 42 people were taken to hospital after the 6.24am (AEDT) train from Sydney'sCentral Station derailed en route to Port Kembla.
Of those people, 23 people have been treated and discharged.
Derail Box (SYDNEY)
New South Wales Transport Minister CARL SCULLY says the black box installed in thetrain that derailed in Sydney's south yesterday, killing eight people, was NOT operational.
The crucial data recorder was yesterday located undamaged in the wreckage of the commuter train.
Mr SCULLY's told ABC radio that there's no useful information on the recorder.
He says it wasn't operational because it hadn't yet been verified and modified in accordancewith earlier tests to make the information reliable.
The black box modification was scheduled for completion this May.
The news is a blow to investigators, who'll now be reliant on recreating the derailmentfor vital information as to what went wrong.
Derail Remove (SYDNEY)
State Rail says the first of four train carriages is being removed from the scene ofa fatal derailment in Sydney's south.
A State Rail spokeswoman says chains have been wrapped around the carriage to allowa heavy-lift crane to shift it onto the back of a bogey -- or wheeled platform.
She says authorities will move all four carriages during the day to Auburn PresentationFacility where they'll be rebuilt for a reenactment.
The spokeswoman says they hope to have the tracks cleared of debris before Monday morning'speak commuter hours.
But she says it's unclear when trains will return to the Illawarra line.
Meanwhile, CityRail says buses have replaced train services between Thirroul and Sutherland,and shuttle buses will replace trains between Waterfall and Helensburgh over the weekend.
Derail Queen (CANBERRA)
The Queen has sent her sympathy to those who lost family and friends in yesterday'strain derailment in Sydney's south.
Queen ELIZABETH says she was shocked to learn of the derailment.
She's sent a short note to Governor-General PETER HOLLINGWORTH and asked him to conveyher message.
Iraq Bush Blair (WASHINGTON)
US President GEORGE W BUSH says he might welcome a new UN resolution on Iraq aftermeeting British Prime Minister TONY BLAIR to plan the next steps in the campaign to disarmSADDAM HUSSEIN.
But BUSH's warned that any attempt to drag the process on for months will be resistedby the United States and he's reiterated his view that a UN disarmament ultimatum madein November authorises him to use force.
BLAIR says time's running out because SADDAM's in breach of that resolution.
The British leader's called for a second resolution to reaffirm the global will tostrip Iraq of any chemical, biological or nuclear arms.
BLAIR and BUSH have spoken at a news conference at the White House after reviewingpossible timetables for diplomacy and war.
BUSH says the issue will come to a head in a matter of weeks, not months.
Meanwhile, a spokesman for Chief UN weapons inspector HANS BLIX says he's consideringan invitation to visit Baghdad, but wants assurances from Iraqi officials that it wouldbe useful before he accepts.
Iraq Aust Downer (CANBERRA)
Foreign Minister ALEXANDER DOWNER says he believes the United Nations will authorisean attack on Iraq if weapons inspectors continue to deliver bad reports to the UN SecurityCouncil.
In a report to the council this week, UN chief weapons inspector HANS BLIX says Iraqcontinues to defy international demands to disarm.
He says weapons inspectors found no convincing evidence Iraq had destroyed thousandsof chemical and biological weapons.
Mr DOWNER has told ABC radio from France that if similar reports continue to be deliveredthe UN would likely give the go ahead for a war on Iraq.
But Mr DOWNER says an attack on Iraq isn't imminent.
Bushfires Vic (MELBOURNE)
Despite milder weather conditions, Victoria's firefighters have been kept busy overnightcontaining a series of spotfires and chasing lightning strikes.
Aircraft will this morning continue the search for fires caused by lighting strikesin the Tubbut, Bonang and Cann River areas of Gippsland.
Aircraft and ground crews will be deployed to locate and contain these small fires,some of which are burning in remote areas to the east of the main fire.
Overnight, fire crews have also fought to contain outbreaks from the main fires inareas around McKillops Bridge, Swifts Creek and also to the east of Benambra.
Timor Crash Aust (CANBERRA)
The Defence Department says no Australians were on board a chartered cargo plane thatcrashed in East Timor overnight.
Five Russians were killed and a sixth is feared dead after the plane crashed in heavy fog.
United Nations spokeswoman MARCIA POOLE says the Russian-made plane crashed into themountains near Baucau, East Timor's second largest city, as it was trying to land andmissed the runway.
The aircraft -- operated by Asia Aviation Air Cargo Transportation -- went down about1,700 metres from the airport and crashed into a village.
Prison (BRISBANE)
About 700 prisoners at one of Queensland's biggest prisons have been locked in theircells after guards walked off the job today over a pay dispute.
It's the second strike in a month by guards at Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre, inthe south-western Brisbane suburb of Wacol.
Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Workers Union organiser RON SIMON says about 120prison guards went on strike for 24 hours from 6.30am (AEST) after Australasian CorrectionalManagement, the prison's US owners, refused to negotiate a pay dispute.
Drought Qld (BRISBANE)
Authorities say the drought continues to hit Queensland hard with the state recordingits driest January on record.
Bureau of Meteorology's GAVIN HOLCOMBE says dozens of weather stations along the coastand inland have recorded their lowest rainfall for January -- a traditionally wet monthin the state -- since records began in 1840.
Mr HOLCOMBE says the Brisbane metropolitan rain gauge recorded just 5mm for the month,compared with a long-term average of 160mm.
He says the outlook for February remains uncertain, although Tropical Cyclone Benimay continue to approach the coast and bring much needed rainfall.
BRIEFLY.......................
Industrial action planned at Melbourne's Crown Casino this weekend has been called offafter a pay dispute was settled yesterday.
The Greens will meet today to ratify a membership application from South Australian stateMP KRIS HANNA, who's quit the Labor party.
Eleven Palestinians have been wounded in the northern Gaza Strip when an Israeli tankfired on a group of people the army says had been trying to fire a home-made missile intoIsrael.
AND IN SPORT.....................
WCUP NZ ICC (CHRISTCHURCH)
New Zealand Cricket is considering taking its dispute with the International CricketCouncil to the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland.
The Black Caps refuse to play in Kenya for security reasons.
Tournament organiser ALI BACHER says New Zealand will forfeit its points for the gameagainst Kenya in Nairobi on February 21.
NZ cricket boss MARTIN SNEDDEN says the ICC decision is unreasonable and that it willseek to have the dispute resolved and the match rescheduled outside Kenya.
But ICC head MALCOLM SPEED has since issued a statement saying that while the chanceof the game taking place is diminished, he holds out some hope it might take place.
Golf Aust (Melbourne)
Queenslander STEVEN BOWDITCH has started to make up ground early in the third roundof the Heineken golf classic at Royal Melbourne.
The former amateur star has picked up three shots in the first nine holes in fine,calm conditions to move the three under par.
The two Englishmen at the top of the leaderboard, PAUL CASEY and DAVID LYNN are pairedtogether and due to hit off shortly before two o'clock.
CASEY is 12 under par and has a two shot lead over LYNN.
Victorian STEPHEN ALLAN is the best Australian at eight under par in third place.
ENDS MIDDAY ROUND-UP
AAP RTV smb
KEYWORD: MIDDAY ROUND-UP
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