POLITICS & POLICY

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has opened below parity this morning following some renewed strength in the USD overnight.

Partial results of canvassing of the Philippine senatorial and local elections showed an early victory for the administration party as it looms to control the 24-seat Senate.

Taiwan has issued an ultimatum that if the Philippines does not apologize within 72 hours commencing May 12, it is recalling its diplomatic representative in the Philippines and freezing work applications of overseas Filipino contract workers.

The surveys were right. Weeks before May 13, polls indicated that 40-year-old Nancy Binay, a candidate for senator in the Philippine election and daughter of Vice President Jejomar Binay, would be elected one of the 12 senators.

High-risk sex offenders on parole from Australia's state of Victoria will be fitted with GPS-enabled bracelets to allow police authorities track their every move.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar traded below parity on Friday night for the first time since June, 2012 as the USD moves upward against most major currencies.

Authorities confirmed that 17 participants of the Mother’s Day parade in New Orleans have been wounded when gunmen open-fired on people marching on Mother’s Day Parade held Sunday, March 12. No fatalities have been reported as bystanders rushed to the aid of the victims, who suffered non-threatening bullet wounds.

Taiwan has demanded an explanation and apology from the Philippines for reportedly firing on a Taiwanese vessel that resulted to the death of one fisherman.

Lawyer says that court faces challenge if it plans to impose death penalty to Cleveland kidnapping suspects

Steel production has been cited as one of the industries that pushed the levels of carbon dioxide trapped in the atmosphere to accumulate. Wanting to curb its rising contribution to global warming, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) devised a technology that could make steel production environmentally-friendly.

Steel production has been cited as one of the industries that pushed the levels of carbon dioxide trapped in the atmosphere to accumulate. Wanting to curb its rising contribution to global warming, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) devised a technology that could make steel production environmentally friendly.

Jodi Arias received the guilty verdict on first degree murder last Wednesday, May 8, but the trial’s next phase scheduled on Thursday has been postponed. Fate of the convicted murderer is currently in the hands of jury who will decide if Jodi Arias must be given the death penalty or life in prison.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has tumbled almost two US cents to its lowest level in more than 11 months and could well find itself below parity in the next 24 hours.

Viewers shared on numerous social networking sites their extraordinary experience of watching and capturing images of the 2013 Solar Eclipse observable in Australia and other parts of the world. The Coca Cola Space Science Center provided a live streaming as well for the viewers so they can watch the rare phenomenon online.

Students went crazy over Prime Minister Gillard’s visit.

Australian employers took in some 50,100 workers in April, hinting optimism the country continues to be resilient against the global fiscal economy.

Factories of at least 18 garment makers in two cities in Bangladesh have been ordered to shut down as the death toll from the April collapse of a building rose steadily, now reaching 804.

Australian soldiers were reportedly facing a case of misconduct in Afghanistan.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar remains below USD 1.0200 this morning as central banks around the world are reacting to the enormous levels of cash pumping through their economies.

From being just a mere restaurant dishwasher, Charles Ramsey is now regarded around the world as the uncanny hero responsible for the escape of decade-long kidnapped victim Amanda Berry and her two companions.

Heroes are made. And they don't necessarily need to be white or perhaps as dashing as Thor's Chris Hemsworth, as filthy rich as Iron Man's Tony Stark or as powerful as Superman. Heroes can come from any nook in the neighborhood and yes, from any colour or race, such as "black" Charles Ramsey, the accidental hero in the escape of decade-long kidnapped Amanda Berry.

After the US government directly linked China to cyber attacks launched against some its institution and business, China releases a categorical denial and dismisses the allegation as a mere ploy to justify the US government's efforts to shore up its military capabilities and to hype up China;s perceived military threat.

Bell FX Currency Outlook: The Australian Dollar has opened lower this morning again following yesterday's decision by the Reserve Bank of Australia to reduce interest rates by 0.25% to 2.75%.

Is it time for marriage equality? Majority of Australians seems to think so, according to an Essential poll.

Will Australia ever have an aboriginal or indigenous prime minister? This teasing question was thrown to Aussies through a full page advert in the Saturday edition of The Australian.

The decision of Australia's central bank to cut interest rates to 53-year low has been well received by business groups still reeling from aneamic economic fundamentals led by exports and low consumer demand.

US closed mixed, with Bank of America advancing strongly on news of a key mortgage securities settlement. The broad-based S&P 500 edged to a new all-time closing high, rising 3.08 (0.19 per cent) to 1,617.50. The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 5.07 (0.03 per cent) to 14,968.89 and the tech-rich Nasdaq Composite Index rose 14.34 (0.42 per cent) to 3,392.97.

A surprise jolt underneath the Philippine's Mayon Volcano, world-renowned for its perfect cone shape until its last eruption in 2010, has claimed 5 lives when the volcano spewed ash early on the morning of Tuesday.

Apart from re-elected Prime Minister Najib Razak, one of the big winners in Malaysia's recently concluded national elections is the Australian rare earths miner Lynas Corp and its' processing plant in Kuantan.