Jumps racing in Victoria faces a permanent ban after the death of a third horse in
two days prompted authorities to immediately suspend all events.

Still reeling from last year's World Cup debacle, Australia are bracing themselves
for an even tougher test on Friday night - the return of the game's No.1 prop, Kiwi

Westpac Banking Corporation is forecasting the economy will return to slow growth
next year driven by housing construction.

A plan giving Medicare bureaucrats access to private patient records will send a
shiver down the public's spine, a parliamentary inquiry has been told.

A man who has named himself as Victoria's suspected Black Saturday arsonist says he
is innocent and a firefighter who saves lives and property.

The combined first half profit at Australia's big four banks has fallen five per
cent as they were hit by the largest bad debt figure in 16 years, suggesting the

Australians are being warned not to fall prey to internet scammers trying to cash in
on fears about swine flu.

Australian troops who killed a senior Taliban commander in Afghanistan had
contributed to the international fight against terrorism, Foreign Minister Stephen
Smith says.

John Hopoate says fighting former world heavyweight boxing champion Oliver McCall
will be the highlight of his sporting career, but doubts he will ever totally shed

Some green groups say they are "outraged" at plans to delay emissions trading, as a
bitter split emerges within the conservation movement.