Main stories in today's AM Program

AAP General News (Australia)
12-19-2007
Main stories in today's AM Program

SYDNEY, Dec 19 AAP - Main stories in today's AM Program:

* The European Central Bank has allocated $585 billion in loans to banks at below market
rate in a new attempt to tackle world wide banking problems sparked by the US mortgage
crisis.

* The Council of Australian Governments meeting in Melbourne tomorrow is the first
get together of all the leaders since Labor won power last month.

* The Australian Electoral Commission has authorised payment of about $47 million to
be shared between seven parties and 15 independent candidates to pay campaign bills. To
qualify they had to attract at least four per cent of the vote.

* The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare has revealed more than 350 people
across Australia who desperately need crisis accommodation are turned away ever day because
there is no room.

* South Africa's ruling African National Congress has dumped the country's president,
Thabo Mbeki as party leader in favour of the popular politician Jacob Zuma.

* Fidel Castro has suggested be may never return to the presidency of Cuba, a post
he temporarily vacated after falling ill last year.

* The United Nations agency in charge of relief work for Palestinian refugees says
Israel must make dramatic changes to its economic blockade in the Gaza Strip.

* The federal government is under pressure to quickly restore protections against unfair
dismissal after the Industrial Relations Commission upheld a company's right under Work
Choices to sack a worker to save money.

AAP nap/rl

KEYWORD: MONITOR AM PROGRAM

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.