POLITICS & POLICY

The federal government added 48 drugs Friday to the list covered under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, including treatments for heart disease in infants and children, tubercolosis and cancer.

Victoria’s building and construction industry has backed calls from the state government for the Commonwealth to delay the introduction of model Work Health and Safety Laws.

Australia is fairly stable compared to the rest of the world but the country needs more savings buffer if only to insulate its economy from global uncertainties.

Australia registered on Friday a budget deficit of $46.4 billion (A$47.7 billion) for the year ending June 30, 2011. The gap is 3.4 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

Various companies from a cross section of industries have sought the assistance of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in the wake of an onslaught of cyber burglaries that have plagued their computerized control systems.

A century from now, Australia could turn into an empty mine-pit with used up natural resources, no jobs and no future in sight unless present governments formulate strategies and implement action plans that would anchor the country to not just rely on its natural resources for sustained economic growth.

American investment analyst James Dines criticised Australia's natural resources policy, particularly selling large land areas to China.

German lawmakers voted 523 to 83 on Thursday to widen the extent of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) and become the 11th European nation to concur with the idea of increasing the bailout fund.

Japan will seek closer ties with Australia a day after Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard spelled out the country's foreign policy direction that would be geared towards riding on the rise of Asia as an economic power.

The Australian dollar is currently trading around USD0.9770 this morning following some positive news released overnight both in Europe and the US.

U.S. blue-chip stocks finished higher Thursday but the technology sector slid, as stronger U.S. economic data struck a contrast with a leading chip maker's forecast cut. The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished 143.08 points, or 1.3%, higher at 11153.98 in a volatile session that saw the blue-chip index turn negative midsession, after surging more than 200 points in the morning. It jumped again in the final 45 minutes of trading.

Pippa's curvy behind is the inspiration for a new plastic surgery method called the "Pippa butt lift."

Before, Mexicans caught by U.S. Border Patrol illegally crossing into Arizona, California or Texas were deported back to the same spot where they were caught. Nevertheless, the illegal immigrants kept coming back with the help of the same human smugglers who previously brought them to these borders.

With the royal tutorials she's going through, the social errands she has to attend, and the pressure of producing an heir, how is Kate Middleton holding up?

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard will probably not forget this week as she turned golden on Thursday. Before she became 50, opposition leader Tony Abbott called for her to resign over her alleged failure to protect the country's border while there is a movement within Labor to bring back Kevin Rudd to his old post.

Controversies are boiling after the new Miss Universe, Leila Lopes, has been crowned, and according to rumors, she is not African, but Cuban in descent.

Leaders of the European Community are confronted with a predicament on how to respond to the lingering debt crisis even as instability in the financial markets continued on Wednesday and apprehensions increased about the status of Euro banks.

The looming Asian century, in which countries like China and India are expected to dominate global events, comes with its share of issues and opportunities, according to Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

Australia wants to position itself to capitalise on the growth of Asian neighbors, particularly China, India and Japan, by reviewing businesses ties with the region.

The Duchess has visited another Topshop store for some retail therapy, and a fan standing next to her almost fainted with surprise.

Australian Resources Minister Martin Ferguson flatly rejected on Wednesday the Greens' proposal to include gold in the proposed mineral resources rent tax (MRRT), SkyNews reports.

Australia is the 7th best country in the world to mine, a global survey released on Thursday said. It was a big jump from Australia's 26th place in 2010 in ResourceStocks magazine's annual World Risk Survey.

A convicted armed thief has robbed a bank for a second time, slipping past the security assigned to him at the hospital.

In the recently published 2011 IT Industry Competitive Index report, South Korea ranks 19th place with 60.8 points.

South Korea's ruling Grand National Party seeks to ameliorate relations with neighbor North Korea through economic cooperation and humanitarian assistance, The Korea Times reported.

Energy giant BP on Wednesday has called on the NSW government to reconsider its decision to extend its policy on mandating both biodiesel and ethanol-blended petrol in NSW.

Two newspaper articles published in 2009 and written by nationally-syndicated columnist Andrew Bolt were found reeking with discriminatory contents against the Australian aborigines, according to a ruling issued on Wednesday by a Federal Court.

Designer Alice Temperly is already taking dibs to design Pippa Middleton's wedding gown as early as now.

Japan's Finance Minister Jun Azumi told media on a news conference on Tuesday that Japanese government is ready to take measures to relieve some of Europe's mounting debts, reports NHK World News.