The United Nations identified the important date March 21 as the “World Down Syndrome Day” (WDSD) with the aim to increase public awareness on the hereditary condition and to support the rights and well-being of the Down syndrome patients. A performance from the Down syndrome dancers will be held today at the Federation Square in Melbourne, Australia.
Bell FX Currency Outlook: Despite quite reasonable movements in core currencies overnight, the AUD is largely unchanged this morning.
Mining companies Rio Tinto and Xstrata have announced job cuts in their respective coal divisions spurred by weak prices in the global market, rising administrative and operation costs as well as the high Australian dollar.
Failure to provide a safe working environment has cost global miner BHP Billiton some $130,000 as a Perth court ordered it to pay the amount to the family of a worker who died in July 2008 at its Port Hedland iron ore operations in Western Australia.
Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has fallen after the Cyprus Parliament rejected a bank deposit tax designed to save the country from bankruptcy.
Shares of Australian rare earths miner Lynas Corp surged by as much as 2 per cent as of 1315 AEDT on Tuesday over its latest win versus the protesters who are against the presence of its processing facility in Malaysia.
Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has recovered in overnight trade as markets digest the situation in Cyprus and look forward to today's release of RBA minutes from its March 5 board meeting.
Owing to its growing population and urbanization, China's requirement for key steelmaking ingredient iron ore will continue to keep improving until the next decade, Murilo Ferreira, Vale's Chief Executive, said on Monday.
As an old adage goes, one cannot serve two masters. One has to be abandoned while one has to be pursued. And in the case of Australia, it's either it chooses to push through with the coal-related development projects in Queensland or push through saving and protecting the Great Barrier Reef. Bottomline, only one objective may be pursued.
On the 14th of March, California authorities issued an initial project which included a prime proposal to reform the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in an effort to secure water supply across the state.
On Friday night the US markets finally ended their stellar run. The Dow closed down 25 points to 14514, ending its north-moving prints at eight consecutive record highs, and ten consecutive northward moves - its longest winning streak since 1996. The S&P again found itself unable to reach its 2007 all-time high of 1576 (intraday), and closed within four points of its highest ever close of 1565, as US sentiment waned.
Bell FX Currency Outlook: Volatility has increased in the FX markets this morning after the surprise announcement over the weekend Cyprus bank
depositors must assist in the bailout of their banking system.
The global markets are anticipating a dive in currency values and share prices following the delayed vote on austerity measures in Cyprus which could result in depositors in the island losing some of their savings.
Comet PANSTARRS, also known as C/2011 L4, is a non-periodic comet, which means it would show up only once in a lifetime. Astrophotographers up North have been taking advantage of the waxing crescent moon to take stunning photos of PANSTARRS. The comet gave the most stunning view with the New Moon on Mar. 13 in the sunset sky of the Northern Hemisphere.
Bell FX, IG Markets Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar remains in positive territory after the global financial markets welcomed Australia's better than expected employment data yesterday.
Today, we struggle to hold back tears. Another major world leader has bit the dust. Venezuela's big man died. Some bleak corner of Hell took him in last Wednesday, if not before.
While the 115 cardinal electors who just elected a new pope were bound by a vow of silence and hence could not tweet during the conclave, Australian MPs are not. However, at one point, House Speaker Anna Burke was asked to consider banning the use of social media while the sessions are ongoing.
Bell FX, CMC Markets Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has opened slightly lower this morning as continued strong data out of the States saw the US dollar higher overnight.
The 2013 Comet PANSTARRS spectacularly appeared close to the crescent moon during the March 13 night sky. Clear skies provided a great view for the spectators who wish to witness and capture images of the rare space phenomenon.
Comet PANSTARRS was discovered in June 2011, and was expected to be visible to the naked eye in March 2013. But it is not as bright as the Comet ISON, which will grace the sky by end-2013. Many of those who have tried to spot this March comet needed the aid of binoculars. Keep trying, says the experts. If you are into astrophotography, have your own gallery of PANSTARRS photos. This is one cosmic event you would not want to miss.
Social networking sites are currently targeting the convicted “New York Cannibal Cop” with funny images and memes. On Tuesday, jurors of the US Federal Court found Police Officer Gilberto Valle guilty for his cannibalism plot on young women.
The federal government of Australia announced on Tuesday that coal seam gas (CSG) projects and large coal mine ventures would require federal approval because of the potential cumulative impact of these resources projects on water supply.
Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar hits a 3-week high overnight by trading through USD 1.0300 assisted by weakness in the New Zealand Dollar.
The Department of Agriculture and Food in Australia's state of Perth on Tuesday announced it had found strains of the bird flu among ducks on a property located off the north east. The good news is, the threat poses no risks to human health.
Japan's Sumitomo Metal Mining Co. has announced it is constructing what could be the Philippines' first foray into rare earths mining, a scandium recovery plant on Palawan Island.
Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar followed the lead from Wall Street overnight and is maintaining its momentum.
Despite the loss of Labor seats in the recent Western Australia state election which resulted in calls for Prime Minister Julia Gillard to step down as leader of the party, Labor is apparently not giving up power.
The 2013 Comet PANSTARRS begins to display its brightest spectacular view on Tuesday, March 12, shortly after 7 p.m. Experts urge the curious viewers to grab their binoculars, go to an area on the western horizon free from tall buildings, trees and bright city lights in order to have a best shot watching the rare phenomenon.
Today is a day like no other in Japan as the country remembered the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and devastating tsunami on March 11, 2011 that left 15,881 dead and 2,668 still missing.
Americans have differing opinions about the wisdom of marijuana legalization but most of us would agree that no matter what we think about it personally, it is an issue for Americans to decide.
