AAP - The Australian Rugby Union have played down the likelihood of a Bledisloe Cup Test staged in the United States despite American organisers talking up the clash.

Centennial Coal Company Ltd says the economic slowdown will have a limited effect on its forecast export sales, with demand for thermal coal underpinned by customer need to secure energy supply.

A federal government plan to restrict public access to Northern Territory Aboriginal communities has been blocked in the Senate.

Two men are dead after a light plane crashed while apparently carrying out aerobatic manoeuvres south of Perth.

Westerners are being held hostage in Mumbai and parts of the city remain under siege after a deadly series of grenade and shooting attacks killed at least 100 people.

An Australian soldier has been killed in Afghanistan, the Australian Defence Force has confirmed.

At least one Australian is dead, two others have been shot and another is unaccounted for after gunmen lobbed grenades into crowds and opened fire with machine guns in India's financial capital.

(AAP) - Draft laws to underpin the federal government's bank guarantee scheme have passed federal parliament.

(AAP) - The national broadcaster had flagged job losses but says new technology, not the financial crisis, is to blame.

(AAP) - The welfare sector says it's at breaking point and needs an immediate $300 million cash injection to keep services running.