Latest Australian and International News

Aussie firms to score $880m in World Cup
June 7, 2010 at 3:06 PM

AUSTRALIAN businesses are set to score around $880 million during soccer's World Cup despite the long odds for the Socceroos progressing past the group stages, a business information analyst says.
 

Boy suffers broken leg in hit and run
June 7, 2010 at 2:55 PM

A HIT and run in suburban Sydney has left a 12-year-old boy with a broken leg.
 

Man sets fire to himself outside court
June 7, 2010 at 2:47 PM

A 60-YEAR-old man is in a critical condition after setting himself on fire outside Brisbane's Supreme and District Court complex.
 

Factory hit by suicides to up wages 70pc
June 7, 2010 at 2:45 PM

FOXCONN to raise wages by nearly 70pc in Chinese factories after a string of worker suicides.
 

Israel navy fires at Palestinian divers
June 7, 2010 at 2:45 PM

AT LEAST four Palestinians were killed after the Israeli Defence Force fired at militants dressed in diving gear.
 

Drug protestations won't wash for accused
June 7, 2010 at 2:41 PM

A MAN says he is "flabbergasted" by allegations he attempted to import drugs into Australia in shampoo bottles.
 

Elderly man's bomb comment delays flight
June 7, 2010 at 2:30 PM

A 75-year-old man on a plane was arrested today after telling a flight attendant he had a bomb in his carry-on luggage.
 

Open the front car doors, Hal ...
June 7, 2010 at 2:16 PM

YOUR car could soon be your best mate, with scientists working on turning it into a friend who puts you in a good mood for driving.
 

Man held for whispering explicit nothings
June 7, 2010 at 2:06 PM

POLICE have arrested a man accused of whispering to women through their bedroom windows in a sexually explicit manner.
 

Six bodies found in cave, hearts cut out
June 7, 2010 at 1:53 PM

POLICE discovered six dead bodies in a cave today, three of them cut open and their hearts removed.
 

Building activity rises for third month
June 7, 2010 at 12:43 PM

ACTIVITY in the construction industry expanded for a third straight month in May, with house building boosted by a lift in new orders, a survey says.
 

Dollar lower at noon
June 7, 2010 at 12:35 PM

THE dollar was more than three US cents lower at noon over concerns about a recovery in the US economy and ongoing woes about  European debt.
 

Hungary pushes shares lower at noon
June 7, 2010 at 12:32 PM

THE share market was lower at noon, following disappointing news on the US economy and concerns over Hungary's financial situation.
 

Kurtley Beale not guilty of assault
June 7, 2010 at 12:06 PM

WALLABIES rugby star Kurtley Beale has been found not guilty of putting his cousin in a headlock and punching her four times in the head at a party.
 

Hiring boost as job ads rise 4pc
June 7, 2010 at 11:36 AM

EMPLOYERS remain confident about hiring after the total number of positions advertised increased by more than 4 per cent in May, an employment survey says.
 

US missile 'killed Yemen civilians'
June 7, 2010 at 11:31 AM

A US cruise missile carrying cluster bombs was allegedly behind an attack in Yemen that killed 55 people.
 

Man dodges jail despite assault on girl
June 7, 2010 at 11:26 AM

THE nephew of a former dictator has avoided jail after pleading guilty to sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.
 

Rudd accused of calling Chinese 'f**kers'
June 7, 2010 at 11:17 AM

THE China-friendly image of Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has been tarnished by claims he branded the Chinese "f**kers" at the Copenhagen Climate Summit.
 

Share market drops nearly three per cent
June 7, 2010 at 10:47 AM

THE share market opened sharply lower today, pummelled by concerns over Hungary's financial situation.
 

Nude man yells he's Jesus, causes accident
June 7, 2010 at 10:37 AM

POLICE said a naked man yelling that he was Jesus was the catalyst for a five-vehicle accident today.
 

Ex-soldier may be spared death penalty
June 7, 2010 at 9:59 AM

AN Aussie ex-soldier may be spared the death penalty after the family of a man he killed accepted compensation for the death.
 

Train catches fire, derails
June 7, 2010 at 9:41 AM

A TRAIN has derailed and caught fire in western Scotland, but the 60 passengers on board were evacuated safely.
 

Shot security guard dies
June 7, 2010 at 9:36 AM

A SECURITY guard shot in the chest in Sydney's CBD has died.
 

$5.9m of cannabis seized by police
June 7, 2010 at 9:30 AM

A MAN has been charged after police seized more than $5.9 million worth of cannabis growing in an underground bunker.
 

Hospital won't say if shot guard is dead
June 7, 2010 at 9:25 AM

A SECURITY guard who was shot in the chest during an apparent bungled robbery has reportedly died.
 

Rudd admits Abbott hot on his heels
June 7, 2010 at 9:18 AM

PRIME Minister Kevin Rudd says better explaining his plans for Australia will be the key to beating Tony Abbott.
 

Seven confirmed dead in tornado
June 7, 2010 at 9:07 AM

SEVEN people have been killed when a devastating tornado tore through northwestern Ohio.
 

Police recruit to tweet on training
June 7, 2010 at 9:02 AM

A NEW police recruit will share her experiences with the world on Twitter when she undertakes 23 weeks of training.
 

Cocaine in passenger's stomach ruptures
June 7, 2010 at 8:45 AM

ONE of 104 cocaine capsules stuffed in a passenger's stomach ruptured today during a flight causing the plane to land.
 

Fire on flight causes emergency landing
June 7, 2010 at 8:38 AM

A FIRE on the right engine of a plane as it took-off today from an airport forced it to make an emergency landing.
 

Baby girls attacked by fox in their cots
June 7, 2010 at 7:04 AM

TWO nine-month-old twin girls have been attacked by a fox while sleeping in their cots.
 

Woman's body found in house
June 7, 2010 at 6:47 AM

THE death of a woman in north Queensland is being treated as suspicious.
 

Girl hiking in sandals falls to death
June 7, 2010 at 5:21 AM

A 17-year-old girl hiking in strappy, open-toed sandals on a treacherous trail has plunged 30 metres to her death.
 

BP oil clean-up could go for weeks longer
June 7, 2010 at 4:47 AM

THE U.S.Coast Guard said progress was being made to contain the oil, but predicted that the cleanup effort could extend into autumn.
 

AMA calls for extra elective surgery funds
June 7, 2010 at 3:44 AM

THE Australian Medical Association is calling on the New South Wales government to boost funding for elective surgery in tomorrow's budget after releasing a survey questioning official waiting lists.
 

Five NATO soldiers killed in Afghanistan
June 7, 2010 at 3:41 AM

FIVE NATO soldiers, four of them Americans, were killed today in war-torn Afghanistan, the alliance said in a statement, in a day of violence which left six others dead and 26 wounded.
 

Israel will 'defend itself at all costs'
June 7, 2010 at 2:37 AM

ISRAEL will do "whatever it takes" to defend itself from terrorism, the Israeli ambassador to the U.S. said.
 

Five killed overnight in Midwest storms
June 7, 2010 at 2:32 AM

FIVE people were killed overnight as tornadoes and heavy storms hit parts of Ohio and Michigan.
 

Thousands stampede at cup warm up
June 7, 2010 at 1:35 AM

THOUSANDS of soccer fans rushed the gates at a World Cup stadium holding a warm-up game between Nigeria and North Korea.
 

Pensioner's $2.6m check after tax blunder
June 7, 2010 at 1:32 AM

ELDERLY woman who was owed a £33 ($48) rebate after a tax mix-up gets check for £1,511,533.80.
 

Men arrested flying to 'join terror group'
June 7, 2010 at 1:28 AM

POLICE arrested two New Jersey men last night as they tried to leave the US for terrorist training camps in war-torn Somalia.
 

US oil spill spread around 320km radius
June 7, 2010 at 12:45 AM

OIL pouring into the Gulf of Mexico from a fractured well spread around a 320km radius coast guard reveals.
 

UK shooter's family 'utterly devastated
June 7, 2010 at 12:41 AM

THE sons of Derrick Bird described their father as "the nicest man you could ever meet."
 

Seven out of 10 firms see recovery ahead
June 7, 2010 at 12:30 AM

ghSEVEN out of 10 private companies believe the economy is in recovery as employers planning to expand their business deal with a skills shortage, a survey shows.
 

Life on Saturn's moon is 'out of this world'
June 7, 2010 at 12:00 AM

EVIDENCE of life has been discovered on Saturn's biggest moon, Titan via NASA's new Cassini probe.
 

Abu Dhabi 'leaning tower' now beats Pisa
June 6, 2010 at 10:45 PM

AN Abu Dhabi tower has been recognised as the "furthest-leaning man-made tower" in the world by Guinness World Records.
 

Six arrested over hi-tech cheat devices
June 6, 2010 at 10:19 PM

CHINESE police have arrested six people suspected of selling high-tech devices to help students cheat on exams.
 

Two men dead in horror highway crash
June 6, 2010 at 9:25 PM

TWO men have died in a collision between their car and a truck southeast of Melbourne.
 

Gunman on the run after home shooting
June 6, 2010 at 9:23 PM

A GUNMAN is on the loose after shooting a man in the leg at a house in Sydney's west.
 

Gaza aid ship crew deported to Jordan
June 6, 2010 at 8:15 PM

ISRAEL has deported seven people who were on board the Gaza-bound Rachel Corrie aid ship to Jordan.
 

Police worried by rise in family violence
June 6, 2010 at 6:12 PM

PEOPLE are being encouraged to report acts of violence within families after police identified an increase in family-related assaults and murders in Victoria.
 

Three hurt in separate glassing attacks
June 6, 2010 at 5:47 PM

THREE people have been injured in a string of unrelated glass attacks in southern Queensland at the weekend.
 

Greens call for place in leaders' debate
June 6, 2010 at 5:20 PM

THE Australian Greens, buoyed by a surge in voter support, are demanding a place in the leaders' debate during the next federal election campaign.
 

All Watson wants is pavlova for dessert
June 6, 2010 at 4:31 PM

ALL she wanted to do was sit down to Mum's Sunday roast and pavlova, have an early night and sleep in her own bed for the first time in eight months.
 

Federal police investigation into Google
June 6, 2010 at 4:05 PM

A POLICE investigation has begun into Google and some of the internet giant's employees for collecting private information about Australians while they photographed streets.
 

New world record for longest poker game
June 6, 2010 at 3:52 PM

POKER star Phil Laak has eclipsed the world record for the longest consecutive stint of playing the game, putting in more than 79 hours at the table and passing both the official Guinness record as well as the unofficial one recognised in the poker world.
 

Steven Segal advises country's top cop
June 6, 2010 at 3:35 PM

HOLLYWOOD martial-arts actor Steven Segal has met with Costa Rica's federal police chief to discuss training methods for the local police force.
 

Elderly man on sex charges arrives here
June 6, 2010 at 3:14 PM

AN elderly man charged with sexually assaulting a nine-year-old girl more than 10 years ago will remain in jail following his extradition to Sydney from Portugal.
 

Nude snorkelers try to set world record
June 6, 2010 at 2:14 PM

SKINNY-DIPPING snorkelers participating in a world record attempt are set to attract hundreds of visitors all in the name of a good cause.
 

Police boss denies cover-up over his son
June 6, 2010 at 1:53 PM

QUEENSLAND'S police commissioner has hit back at claims he ordered a cover up of an alleged knife siege involving his adult son.
 

Hoons have cars confiscated after race
June 6, 2010 at 1:26 PM

TWO men caught street racing at 140km/h on a Sydney road have had their BMW and Toyota Supra confiscated and will face court over the alleged offences.
 

Jessica Watson sails into her hometown
June 6, 2010 at 1:03 PM

JESSICA Watson has sailed into her home port of Mooloolaba to a low key but enthusiastic reception, under clear blue skies and with a stiff 15 to 20 knot wind in her sails.
 

Earthquake felt 200km away in capital city
June 6, 2010 at 12:51 PM

AN earthquake of about magnitude 5.0 has rocked a farming region on South Australia's Eyre Peninsula.