Jamelle Agbuis

It's been a good week for gay rights, as Washington became the seventh state in the nation to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed, news that arrived as a day-early Valentine on Feb. 13.

Reigning world champion, Australian Anna Meares and Great Britain's Olympic champion Victorian Pendleton staged an epic duel in the women's sprint competition but neither walked away with gold on day three of the final round of the UCI Track World Cup Series on London's Olympic Velodrome.

Elder-care jobs are booming as the U.S. population ages. A rule to extend federal wage protections to this predominantly female work force is in public comment stage; advocates push five reforms; one for each finger of a caring hand.

Noisy drivers are the biggest neighbourhood nuisances in Australia, with dangerous drivers running a close second.

Parents who exercise a vaccine exemption for their children are often ridiculed for putting their own children and others at risk.

Australia is a medal contender in every Olympic track cycling event according to Cycling Australia's National Performance Director speaking after the final round of the UCI World Cup raced on the Games velodrome in London.

Ricky Ponting has been dropped from Australia's ODI squad for the remainder of their tri-series against India and Sri Lanka after scoring a mere 18 runs from his last five innings.

Keegan Bradley, the reigning US PGA Champion, has apologized to the golfing world after being caught spitting by the TV cameras at the Northern Trust Open last week.

Brett Lee welcomed his inclusion in Australia's ODI squad for the next two matches of the tri-series with India and Sri Lanka, insisting that he is not ready to be sidelined again.

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has admitted that his ODI career has reached its end, but he will continue to play Test cricket.

Four profits yesterday from companies of varying sizes illustrate the current state of the Australian economy, and where the profits, revenue growth and pain are occurring.

Just a suggestion that OneSteel, in seeking a new name, might be about to ditch its low profit steel making business, was enough to send the shares up more than 12% by the close yesterday.

A fitful reaction from the markets to the news that the second bailout of Greece is much closer after eurozone finance ministers agreed to the latest bailout package.

Kevin Costner explained at the funeral how he had to hold Whitney's hand, consoling her, assuring her that she could do it; that she had the talent to play a role in The Bodyguard. She didn't believe she was good enough.

Facebook Fan Pages are a great way to build your brand, remain Top of Mind. engage with your customers and now Facebook are about to improve their functionality even more.

Women's retailer, Specialty Fashion Group has joined the no dividend club and a spot of rationalisation after confirming earlier guidance of a sharp drop in sales and earnings for the December half year.

Rent.com.au is consolidating its position as Australia's #1 rental property website, indicating in a December press release they have achieved 300% growth in the number of agency listings on their website since February 2011.

South Korean house prices bounced back in 2011, after a slow second half of 2010. Housing starts and transaction volumes were strongly up. House prices rose by 6.86% (2.60% in real terms) during 2011, according to the Korean Statistical Information Service (KOSIS). The Seoul house price index was up by 0.29% (-3.72% in real terms) during 2011, less than the national house price index.

Last year AWPI formed an Alumni Fund that will accept donations and bequests with the idea it may support athletes that would otherwise be disadvantaged in not being able to represent a National team because of financial constraints.

Lend Lease has lopped interim dividend from 20 to 16 cents, a slash of 25% after a small fall in earnings for the period to December 31.

There's the new method being touted across the media: Test tube hamburgers made from thin strips of meat grown in a nutrient vat laced with bovine fetus stem cells. Yumm!

Australia's largest steelmaker, Bluescope Steel, reckons it is laying the foundations for a return to profits after revealing a total loss of more than half a billion dollars for the six months to December 31.

Did you hear the one about the North Carolina preschool child who was traumatized? One of President Obama's Nazi lunch inspectors took away her lunch, forced her to eat chicken nuggets, sent her home because her lunch was not good enough, charged her mother money for a lunch provided, and took away the rights of every parent in America to determine what his children should eat.

The Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus will be allowed to use bullhooks on elephants during its performances in Atlanta this week despite a countywide ban on the devices.

A high rise in the oil market shot the crude oil prices above $ 102 a barrel in Asia. The rise in the crude oil prices come as Iran decided to increase threats to cut the supply of crude oil to many of the European countries from the region after sanctions were imposed by the European Union against the Iranian energy and banking sectors.

Carbon emissions from cement are set to grow explosively as developing countries such as India create a ‘first-world’ infrastructure. Scientists and entrepreneurs are struggling to push alternative technologies out of the lab and onto the street.

A positive move from China at the weekend has added to signs the world economy isn't tanking as many forecasters believed it would.

The Australian jobs market remains solid across the economy, with the weaker bits in retailing and manufacturing more than offset by the rapidly growing sectors such as resources, healthcare and education.

It's the peak week in the December 31 profit reporting season with over 100 major companies due to report interim or full year figures in the next five days.