Local National and World News

Rudd pays tribute to fallen soldiers
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has paid tribute to two Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan while on patrol in the country's Uruzgan province yesterday.

84,000 arrested in drug busts
The Australian Crime Commission (ACC) has released figures showing police arrested almost 84,000 people in relation to illegal drugs last financial year.

Slain guard's wife urged him to leave job
The wife of a Sydney security guard who was fatally shot on Monday says she asked her husband to leave the job because it was too dangerous.

Abbott slams Swan over super tax admission
Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has slammed an admission by the Treasurer that some mining companies could pay 58 per cent tax under a resource super profits tax.

Obama wants to know 'whose ass to kick' over spill
The fragile economy and environment of the south-eastern US coast will take years to recover from the worst oil spill in US history, US officials say, as president Barack Obama bares a spot of raw emotion over the disaster.

If only Conroy was a hoarder
There are two kilograms of toxic chemicals in every television ... and we are throwing millions of them out as we go digital. In fact, about 2.8 million TVs have been 'thrown away' since the beginning of 2009, which means about 5,600 tonnes of hazardous waste has been dumped. And the Federal Government is twiddling its thumbs in response.

South African football's long walk into the limelight
Fifteen years ago no-one would have believed South Africa would host an international event like the World Cup.

Nurturing strong Indigenous voices
More must be done to ensure a strong and representative Indigenous voice.

Behind the blockade: hiding repression in Gaza
The blockade of Gaza is really no more than a trade and travel embargo, and history tells us these do not work. A 2007 study of 204 separate economic sanctions over the last century found they were successful in achieving regime change in only 31 per cent of cases. Their success at disrupting military adventures was successful in just 19 per cent. And they can have some terrible unintended consequences.

The Greens: sanctimonious without responsibility
Bob Brown's Greens have gone marching to 15 per cent of the vote in published polls and everyone's excited. The beauty of being a narrow, sectional interest group, with no chance of governing, is that you can say whatever you like without ever having to deliver results for all Australians. And when the results you do deliver – zero action on climate change, for example – are completely at odds with the values you profess, you get a pass.

Hendra test comes back negative
The Queensland Government says a second blood test on a horse on a property in the state's Sunshine Coast hinterland has come back negative for hendra virus.

Cops' new crime fighting weapon: the 'bait car'
Northern Territory Police are trying to catch car thieves by setting up traps around Darwin.

Help button to provide cyber safety advice
The Federal Government says an online safety tool launched today will be a one-stop shop for young people concerned about internet safety.

Rudd pays tribute to fallen soldiers
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has paid tribute to two Australian soldiers killed in Afghanistan while on patrol in the country's Uruzgan province yesterday.

Arrest over leaked video of US gunship attack
The US military has arrested the man it believes is responsible for releasing a secret video of an American attack helicopter gunning down Iraqi civilians and a Reuters camera crew in Baghdad.

Ex-CIA official pleads guilty to sex, arms charges
A former US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) official in Algeria has pleaded guilty to charges of abusive sexual contact and using cocaine while possessing a firearm.

Hendra test comes back negative
The Queensland Government says a second blood test on a horse on a property in the state's Sunshine Coast hinterland has come back negative for hendra virus.

Slain guard's wife urged him to leave job
The wife of a Sydney security guard who was fatally shot on Monday says she asked her husband to leave the job because it was too dangerous.

Cops' new crime fighting weapon: the 'bait car'
Northern Territory Police are trying to catch car thieves by setting up traps around Darwin.

Oysters could offer carbon offset option
Companies wanting to buy carbon credits to offset pollution could soon look to the sea.

Peru puts kangaroo meat on the menu
Peru government officials say their government has approved the import of kangaroo meat from Australia.

Bank sells Gunns shares
Shares in Tasmanian timber company Gunns dropped nearly seven per cent during yesterday's trade.

Regional roads and hospitals get budget funds
The New South Wales Government has announced record spending on health and roads infrastructure in rural and regional areas in this year's budget.

Remote community fights shire amalgamation
Legal argument is continuing in the Supreme Court in Darwin for a Central Australian community's challenge against the amalgamation of local governments in the Northern Territory.

Peru puts kangaroo meat on the menu
Peru government officials say their government has approved the import of kangaroo meat from Australia.

Grant to fight charge, Bateman banned again
Western Bulldogs forward Jarrad Grant will risk a two-game suspension when he challenges a striking charge at the AFL tribunal this evening.

Luke facing one-match ban
South Sydney hooker Isaac Luke is facing a one-game suspension after being charged with making dangerous contact with Johnathan Thurston during the Rabbitohs' 32-4 win over North Queensland on Monday night.

England labours to Cup warm-up win
Wayne Rooney scored and was booked as England did little to justify a place among the World Cup favourites when it laboured to a 3-0 win over South African premier league side Platinum Stars in Moruleng.

Chart fixing website closes
The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) has confirmed that a website that had been promising to rig the country's music charts for a fee has been shut down.

Alanis Morissette marries rapper
Alanis Morissette has secretly married her boyfriend of one year, rapper MC Souleye.

Robbie Williams, Gary Barlow record duet
Robbie Williams will release a new single in October which features Gary Barlow, their first collaboration since Williams' departure from Take That in 1995.

Budget funding to clear old hospital site
The Queensland Government has announced $2 million in its 2010-11 budget to demolish the old Yeppoon Hospital site in the state's central region.

Opposition asks if RAH now $3bn project
The Opposition says it has obtained a finance industry article which claims the cost of building a new Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH) has blown out to $3 billion.

Flying doctors illegally shipped drugs for 20 years
The Federal Government has stepped in after it was revealed the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) has been in breach of the federal Crimes Act for the past 20 years.

Eager scientists await asteroid samples
Scientists say asteroid samples that are due to arrive in a space capsule in South Australia this weekend will be useful to researchers all over the world.

Pandas help push zoo numbers up 70pc
Adelaide Zoo has had 70 per cent more visitors since its giant pandas arrived about six months ago.

'Gladiator graveyard' unearthed in England
Archaeologists in Britain believe they have found the world's best-preserved gladiator cemetery, unearthing skeletons with the kind of violent injuries usually sustained in a Roman amphitheatre.

Oysters could offer carbon offset option
Companies wanting to buy carbon credits to offset pollution could soon look to the sea.

Businessman denies having inside water knowledge
A businessman behind an agricultural venture in northern Victoria denies having any inside information on Government water policy.

Pandas help push zoo numbers up 70pc
Adelaide Zoo has had 70 per cent more visitors since its giant pandas arrived about six months ago.

Poker player folds after record 115-hour game
Poker star Phil Laak halted the longest poker game in history at 115 hours early on Monday (US time), nearly two days longer than the current mark recognised as the official world record.

Census records 157-year-old woman
Estimates of the size and composition of Indonesia's booming population may remain just that despite an ongoing census, if the "discovery" of a 157-year-old woman is anything to go by.

Jungle woman found in toilet
A Cambodian woman whose story gripped the nation after she apparently spent 18 years living in the jungle has been found in a dugout toilet 11 days after she disappeared again.