Sharon Olalia

The Westpac Group (ASX: WBC) today announced a solid result for the half year to 31 March 2011, with cash earnings per share of 105.6 cents increasing 6 per cent compared to the six months to 31 March 2010.

Keeping a firm hand on the tiller by keeping the cash rate stable is the only way retail will realise a recovery in 2011, the Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) said today.

Two people were killed while 20 others were injured after a tornado smashed Auckland, New Zealand. According to police reports, the twister destroyed the roof of Albany Megacentre shopping mall in North Shore City around three o’clock in the afternoon.

As Twitter aims for greater influence online, speculations suggest that it has obtained one of its top desktop clients, for $40-$50 million.

Osama Bin Laden was living for the past few years not in a cave as many thought, but in a relatively luxurious compound in Abbottabad, a town 32 miles (51 km) north of the Pakistani capital Islamabad. Here are interesting facts about his hideout:

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is certain that Islamabad authorities are collaborators in the war on terror despite the announcement that Osama bin Laden had a support network in Pakistan which was hiding the most wanted terrorist.

The Internet security crisis confronting PlayStation Network users has gotten worse than expected as Sony revealed on Monday additional 25 million clients stolen by hackers.

One of Osama bin Laden’s wives served as a human shield during the attack by US special troops, according to a chief US official.

Confidence levels have returned to small to medium-sized enterprises after the destabilising floods in December and January, according to National Australia Bank’s (ASX: NAB) SME Quarterly Survey for the March quarter.

The International Law Enforcement Agency called for alertness among authorities in the wake of Osama bin Laden’s death.

Unparalleled give away of free downloads and access to premium games and music shall welcome back users as Sony Corporation’s PlayStation Services resumes in the coming days.

The death of bin Laden is not really significant, in terms of its effect on the war in Afghanistan or anywhere else, says an RMIT University international security expert.

Australian house prices fell 1.7 per cent in the March quarter, national official data showed.

U.S. President Barack Obama has validated death reports of the mastermind of the September 11, 2001 attacks against the United States.

National Australia Bank (ASX NAB) is extending its offer to pay the $700 mortgage early exit fee charged by CBA and Westpac to their customers who want to switch their mortgages to NAB’s lower standard variable home loan rate.

Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi endured a NATO air strike but with his youngest son and three grandchildren killed on a Tripoli house on Sunday, according to a government spokesman.

Shares of Sony surged as it returns with some services on its PlayStation Network (PSN). This after the company offered incentives to users whose online personal information is at risk.

More Australian women are buying property alone, according to new research.

A major Australian building and construction industry association in Victoria is calling on the State Government to honour its election promises in Tuesday’s State Budget by cutting Stamp Duty and reforming the planning system.

An addition to Australia’s largest Apple stores is soon to open in the succeeding months in the city of Brisbane. This is a result of yesterday’s announcement of plans concerning the $10.5 million renovation of historic MacArthur Chambers.

Leighton Holdings Ltd (ASX: LEI) had completed the sale of a 35 per cent stake in its Indian operations to leading diversified Indian conglomerate, Welspun Group. The Australian company said payment was received yesterday.

Hackers who have penetrated the Sony PlayStation Network may have made off with the headed off with the credit card numbers of Sony customers. These were revealed by security researchers who had seen discussions in some online forums.

Australian capital city dwelling values fell by a seasonally adjusted 2.1 per cent in the first quarter of the year, according to the latest RP Data-Rismark Home Value Index.

A horrible scene astonished the students and faculty members in Ranchi, Eastern India. This is after an engineering student at Jamshepdur beheaded his girlfriend of Ranchi Women’s College with a ceremonial dagger on Thursday.

There were 1.1 million people who were independent contractors in their main job in November 2010, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

Seven states in Southern US were hit by devastating tornadoes and violent storms. Atleast 300 people were killed in the country's deadliest series of twisters in almost 40 years.

Aussie toes will be tapping when key cast members from the hit musical-comedy series GLEE, shimmy into Australia on Saturday July 16 in Sydney, and Sunday July 17 in Melbourne, to meet with fans at The Hub Productions' GLEEK ON 2011.

The NSW Government has taken action to stop low paid workers from receiving pay rises to adequately reflect the value of their work, instead of recognising the valuable work of women in the community sector, the Australian Services Union (ASU) claims.

Forex.com has globally launched its new app for Android mobile devices, FOREXTrader for Android. The Android version comes after FOREX.com launched FOREXTrader for iPhone and FOREX.com Mobile in 2010.