POLITICS & POLICY

The President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Judge Sang-Hyun Song of South Korea, concluded an eight-day official trip to Southeast Asia on Sunday 13 March 2011.

Almost four out of five Australians say they are concerned about the Federal Government’s proposed tax on the cleaner, greener alternative fuel LPG - a tax that could send the cost of the green transition fuel sky rocketing, see taxi fares rise and cripple Australia’s fragile LPG industry.

Pursuing a dangerous tact to quell a nuclear disaster, Japan has used helicopters to cool down the nuclear reactors at the Fukushima nuclear power facility.

The federal government has yet to decide on a definite carbon price level despite the new review issued on Thursday by Climate Change chief adviser Professor Ross Garnaut that calls for a maximum tax imposition of $30 per tonne produced.

Ross Garnaut’s carbon pricing paper requires Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Climate Change Minister Greg Combet to be honest about how high a carbon tax will be set to see renewable energy growth, says Australia's leading free market think tank.

The Gillard Government would partner with the Aboriginal Mining and Building Association (AMBA) and the Downer Group Coal Mine to employ 30 Indigenous Australians.

The United Nations had stepped in to help Japan's deepening nuclear power plant crisis. A meeting will be convened today in Tokyo with government authorities and the UN-led International Atomic Energy Agency.

The Australian government has announced concrete plans provide training assistance to Malaysia to strengthen its police force and fight transnational crimes including people smuggling and terrorism.

The Federal Government's positive response to the National Resources Sector Employment Taskforce (NRSET) is a serious one which will be welcomed by industry.

It will take two years and a budgetary allocation of no less thanUS$6 billion to rebuild the state of Queensland after the devastating floods, Premier Anna Bligh said today.

Australians numbering 145 are still unaccounted for in the Japan earthquake as rescue operations are hampered by new aftershocks with 5.7-magnitudehit the city of Tokyo this morning.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard will attend New Zealand’s National Memorial Service in Christchurch this Friday to commemorate the lives lost in the Christchurch earthquake on 22 February.

The merger of the Australian Retirement Fund (ARF) and the Superannuation Trust of Australia (STA) has created an industry behemoth that seeks to serve all of Australia's working class. AustralianSuper is still working hard to keep step with the demands of its members that encompasses all industries in the country.

Economists’ calculators are already pounding on their keys to estimate the likely impact of the powerful quake and tsunami that shocked Japan on Friday even as actual human costs and property damages are only starting to unfold.

The Australian government’s carbon tax will permanently scar small business, according to VACC, which represents 5,500 small to medium businesses (SMEs) in the retail, service and repair sector of the automotive industry in Victoria and Tasmania.

Australia sent a team of 72 Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) specialists to Japan to assist with rescue efforts following Friday afternoon’s devastating earthquake.

Japan is facing a herculean task to rebuild its economy after a massive 8.9 magnitude quake hit Friday which triggered a tsunami that destroyed most of the country's northern coastal towns. This early, economic analysts are finding it difficult to determine the scale of the human tragedy and physical devastation in the region.

Telecommunications giant Telstra on Tuesday offered free telephone calls and text messages for customers wishing to check on family and friends affected by the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan.

"It's all gone. There is nothing left." That was how Toshio Abe, 70, described the former village of Saito with 70 houses and 250 inhabitants which was literally wiped off after a tsunami obliterated everything in its path following a powerful 8.9 magnitude earthquake.

The office of Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has released the itinerary for Prince William’s three day Royal visit to Queensland and Victoria.

Japanese engineers rush to avert radiation leak from damaged nuclear reactor in a battle to avert a looming disastrous meltdown as rescuers frantically search for thousands of missing persons and assist millions without food, water, shelter or heating after a powerful quake and tsunami hit Japan.

The old photos of Adolf Hitler’s girlfriend and wife, Eva Braun has hit the web through Life Magazine and has since caused some stir, with 300% increase in searches for ‘Eva Braun’ in one day.

Smoke emitting from Japan’s quake-hit nuclear plant has been seen continually rising from the No. 3 reactor at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant while some 30 Filipinos seafarers have already been located and were sent on their way to Narita airport early Monday.

Australians who have lost their passports during Japan’s natural disaster will not have to pay to replace them.

Japan-based Australians numbering 1825 were attested to be safe by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. Nevertheless, some 900 Australian citizens are still being sought in the earthquake-devastated townships in northeast of Tokyo, Japan.

A diplomat El Salvador has asked newly unemployed “Men” actor, Charlie Sheen to issue an apology for what he regards as a disparaging remark and an insult to El Salvador and its people.

Families living in regional Australia are about to have their hip pocket hit again if the Federal Government goes ahead with a tax on the cleaner and greener alternative fuel LPG.

The Australian Government on Thursday returned Iron Age ornaments looted from graves in Southeast Asia in a ceremony at the Cambodian embassy.

Austrade is giving out assistance to small and medium sized enterprises which have been impacted by Australia’s recent natural disasters.