HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 19:30, Aug 13

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HighLights of the AAP National Wire at 19:30, Aug 13

MAJOR STORIES MOVED SINCE THE 14:45 NATIONAL HIGHLIGHTS

CANBERRA - Qantas will remain majority Australian-owned after the government todayrejected the airline's pleas to relax foreign ownership limits. (Qantas Nightlead)

SYDNEY - Qantas Airways Ltd shares slumped 2.5 per cent today after the federal governmentrefused to unclip the airline's fundraising wings and remove its foreign ownership cap.

(Qantas Markets)

CAIRNS - A sugar farmers' rally turned sour today when angry protesters confrontedPrime Minister John Howard and senior ministers outside a cabinet meeting in Cairns. (SugarNightlead)

CANBERRA - Foreign Minister Alexander Downer today accused Labor leader Simon Creanof talking like Saddam Hussein as a new poll found most Australians were opposed to waragainst Iraq. (Iraq Aust Second Nightlead)

SYDNEY - The corporate future of former NRMA president Nicholas Whitlam lies in thebalance after a judge today reserved a decision on a possible ban from being a companydirector. (Whitlam Nightlead)

CANBERRA - Prime Minister John Howard today warned it was too early to tell if Australiahad escaped the worst of the United States stock market turmoil. (Economy Nightlead)

SYDNEY - Drought conditions and global equity market turmoil have continued to rockAustralian business confidence, but general activity is not slowing, a survey has found.

(Economy NAB)

PORT MORESBY - Australia will consider giving cash-strapped Papua New Guinea more aid,visiting Australian Prime Minister John Howard said today. (PNG Howard Nightlead, seealso Boat Greens)

PORT MORESBY - A Papua New Guinea politician who suggested Australia was taking anunhealthy "big brother approach" to its former colony was today appointed foreign minister.

(PNG Cabinet)

PNG HOWARD SECOND NIGHTLEAD to come

CANBERRA - The question of whether a woman could replace resigning Labor frontbencherStephen Martin would be decided by the ALP caucus, Opposition Leader Simon Crean saidtoday. (Martin Nightlead)

CANBERRA - The Liberal and Labor parties today urged the Australian Electoral Commission(AEC) to do more to clean up the electoral roll before the next federal election. (ElectionNightlead)

PERTH - Three men and five teenagers, as young as 13, appeared in a court today chargedwith the prolonged pack rape of a 25-year-old woman in Western Australia's remote north.

(Pack)

BRISBANE - A New Zealand-born woman who killed promising triathlete Luke Harrop ina hit-and-run crash could be released from prison in 18 months after pleading guilty ina Brisbane court today. (Wilde Nightlead)

SYDNEY - Macquarie Bank Ltd shares crumbled to a fresh two-year low today, as its latestspecialist fund made a lacklustre debut on the Australian share market. (MCIG)

MELBOURNE - Lower commodity prices and a drop in production at its flagship OlympicDam mine, sliced WMC Ltd's half year profits. (WMC to come)

DURBAN - Besieged Wallaby winger Ben Tune is a definite starter for Saturday's Tri-Nationsdecider against South Africa despite the threat of further disciplinary action by theInternational Rugby Board hanging over his head. (Rugby Tune Nightlead)

AAP mo

KEYWORD: HIGHLIGHTS NATIONAL UPDATED