VIC: Main stories in today's Melbourne newspapers =2

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2006
VIC: Main stories in today's Melbourne newspapers =2

THE AGE

Page 1: A Melbourne man who trained in Afghanistan alongside Jack Thomas and who also
met Osama Bin Laden has escaped legal sanctions from the Federal Government. A Geelong
councillor and Labor Party activist has been charged over his alleged failure to disclose
campaign donations from local powerbrokers, including Geelong Football Club president
Frank Costa. New ultrasound technology is providing a window to the womb. One all-powerful
faction is splitting Victorian Liberals, says a veteran power broker, who missed out on
preselection.

Page 2: A damning six-page letter on the hunt for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq
was suppressed by Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, according to a former senior diplomat.

Page 3: Literacy levels of children and adults in remote Aboriginal communities are
seriously low and many teenagers are likely to finish school with the reading and writing
skills of a year 5 student. Almost 80 RMIT University services staff will be sacked because
of federal government laws that prevent it charging compulsory student union fees.

World: Israel has rejected a UN call to lift its six-week air and sea blockade of Lebanon,
saying it will only raise the siege when all elements of a ceasefire are in place.

Finance: Qantas has flown high in August. Its share price has climbed 18 per cent to
$3.55 since just before the airline reported a 30 per cent last profit downturn due to
skyrocketing fuel.

Sport: With his job and the performance of the entire club under review, Geelong coach
Mark Thompson said yesterday he still wanted to coach the team in 2007 and that he had
been the most positive person around Skilled Stadium this year.

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KEYWORD: MONITOR FRONTERS VIC 2 MELBOURNE

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