The visiting fans have alsocomplained about the cost of food and beverages at the venue

Lower spending by corporate and leisure travellers hastriggered a 3 percent fall in hotel and serviced apartmentrevenues, according to figures released yesterday by theAustralian Bureau of Statistics. Industry experts said it wasthe first drop in revenues since the bird flu scare affectedtourism in the March 2004 quarter. "Clearly there is a pullbackby the business sector as they recognise more difficult timesand restrict corporate travel as a way of managing expense,"said Tourism Australia managing director Geoff Buckley Page 3. THE AUSTRALIAN () Federal Opposition foreign affairs spokeswoman Helen Coonanyesterday accused Prime Minister Kevin Rudd of equatingIsrael's military action in the Gaza strip with "the violentactivities of terrorist organisations." Senator Coonan'scomments came after Mr Rudd was reported as having describedthe Israeli operation as an "insurgence." A spokeswoman forActing Prime Minister Julia Gillard rejected Senator Coonan'sallegation, saying the official transcript of the PrimeMinister's statement referred to the Israeli action as an"incursion." Page 2. Former prime minister John Howard will next week be awardedthe United States Presidential Medal of Freedom Days before USPresident George W. Bush steps down, he will honour Mr Howardfor promoting democracy, human rights and international peace.Mr Howard said yesterday he saw the award as "a compliment toAustralia and the relationship between our two countries."Previous Australian recipients of the award, the highest UScivilian decoration, include the war-time resistance fighter inFrance, Nancy Wake.Page 2. The analysis, titled ClimateChange, the Environment, Resources and Conflict, warns that ADFinvolvement in the Pacific region could increase as "climatechange is expected to change the location of south-east Asianfishing grounds, causing an increase in illegal fishing."Rising sea waters in low-lying islands could also cause anincrease in illegal migration, the report says.Page 1.

Watching cricket in Sydney lacks the fun atmosphere ofmatches played in South Africa, according to South Africancricket fans who have flown to Australia for the current Testseries between the two countries. "The security presence hereis really over the top," one South African fan at the SydneyCricket Ground said yesterday as Australia battled closer to awin in the last Test in the three-match series, which thevisitors have already won. The visiting fans have alsocomplained about the cost of food and beverages at the venue.Page 2. THE AGE () Online news website Crikey hasdenied that it was responsible for the publication of a hoaxarticle in the current edition of literary magazine Quadrant.The article, ostensibly authored by "Dr Sharon Gould," claimedthat research organisation CSIRO had planned to commercialisecows, mosquitoes and wheat that had been "engineered with humangenes." Crikey yesterday revealed the article as a hoax, butQuadrant editor Keith Windschuttle has insinuated that thewebsite itself may be behind the fabricated essay.Page 1.

Business groups and economists have called on the FederalGovernment to release a second economic stimulus packagefollowing signs of further deterioration in businessconfidence. The Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industryyesterday released a report showing business confidence plungedto a 10-year low in the December quarter. The report came inthe wake of automotive industry data showing new-car sales fell11 percent in the same period. AMP chief economist Shane Oliversaid given the dismal economic trends, it would be perfectlysound for the Government to unveil another stimulus package.Page 3. A soldier who had recently joined a Victorian communitygroup for Jewish members of the Defence Force has become theeighth Australian digger to be killed in Afghanistan.Representatives of Melbourne's Jewish community last nightmourned the death of Greg Sher, believed to have been in hislate 20s, at his family home in the city's south-east. CARACAS, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Tuesday called Israel's offensive in Gaza a Palestinian "holocaust" and said the presidents of Israel and the United States should be tried in international court.