The foiled terror plots in Sydney and Melbourne were headlined by two
major US TV networks this afternoon (New York time) with CNN’s
Woolf Blitzer and Fox’s John Gibson commencing their bulletins with quotes lifted from the ABC’s AM program. Both anchors noted that the NSW Police
Commissioner claimed terror attacks had been thwarted with the
arrest of 15 people – and CNN used file footage of the Sydney Harbour
Bridge and the Opera House.

Both commentators noted John Howard’s close personal friendship with George W Bush – who is on
the last leg of a less than successful tour of South American nations.
CBC ignored the threats in its early bulletin, leading with Chinese flu
warnings and denials by Muslim leaders in Paris that any of their
people are presponsible for the current riots in France.

MSNBC is consumed by the Dick Cheney and Scooter Libby scandal which as
the afternoon is progressing is being overtaken by a high court
challenge to the use of military tribunals in Guantanemo Bay –
which could affect the only Australian detainee, David Hicks.