Sharon Olalia

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's deputy offered a gesture of conciliation on Monday, as pressure from street protests, Western allies and the army appeared to be ending Mubarak's 30 years of one-man rule.

Total estimated estimated insurable value of losses arising from the Queensland floods has hit $1.51 billion, the Insurance Council of Australia said.

Almost one in three businesses in Australia is now being directly impacted by skills shortages, with national job vacancies climbing to 237,000, according to new data from the Bankwest Social Indicators series.

Manufacturing activity had a soft start to 2011 amid weaker domestic demand and a stronger Australian dollar, a survey revealed.

National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) says its telephone and internet banking services which were interrupted earlier today have now been fully restored and are functioning as normal.

The Federal Government is sending a plane to evacuate Australians trapped by the political crisis in Egypt, where at least 125 people have been killed in protests in the past six days.

Initial Victoria figures released today revealed the estimated insurable value of claims arising from the Victorian floods is nearing $70 million.

Origin Energy Ltd (ASX:ORG) has reported record production of 68.2 petajoules equivalent (PJe) and sales revenues of $424 million for the half year to 31 December 2010.

Australian agriculture looks set for a positive 2011 with agri-commodity prices expected to stay at elevated levels, but the sector must be prepared to manage a number of challenges, including increasing price volatility, according to a new industry report.

Murchison Metals Ltd (ASX:MMX) has appointed Wayne Zekulich as chief financial officer of Oakajee Port & Rail (OPR), developer of port and rail infrastructure for the mining industry in Western Australia’s mid-west.

Optimism among Australian SMEs declined as private business owners assessed the domestic economy for 2011, according to new research.

National Australia Bank (ASX: NAB) has suffered an outage of its Internet and telephone banking systems today, only two months after a computer system glitch delayed the processing of payments and transactions of thousands of customers.

The Australian Open has been focused around tennis since it began in 1905, but according to one sponsorship expert, the Melbourne event is now as much about sponsors leveraging branding opportunities as it is about the game.

Energy Resources of Australia Ltd (ERA) says it will commence an orderly suspension of plant processing operations as a precautionary measure to help ensure that levels in the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) remain below the authorised operating limit throughout the remainder of the wet season. The suspension is intended to be for a period of 12 weeks.

The greatest players in Australian basketball history are set to return to the court for ‘Charity Baskets’ this Sunday, January 30th, at the Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre. The game will be played to raise money for the Queensland, NSW and Victoria flood victims.

The Commonwealth Bank of Australia (ASX: CBA) has announced a major fundraising initiative for Queensland’s flood affected cricket clubs.

The rebuilding of infrastructure in flood-ravaged areas should not overshadow the need for ongoing funding in the Federal Budget for local roads, active transport, and community infrastructure to address Australia’s growing infrastructure backlog, according to the Australian Local Government Association (ALGA).

The Gusmao government's apparent decision to cancel talks with the Australian petroleum company Woodside (ASX: WPL) may undermine efforts to win the right to process gas from the Greater Sunrise field in Timor-Leste, former Prime Minister of Timor-Leste and Secretary General of Fretilin, Dr Mari Alkatiri, warned today.

Slashing investment in climate change solutions to fund the clean-up of the worst floods in Australia’s history makes no sense, according to the peak renewable energy industry body.

Retail veteran Roger Corbett has been appointed chairman of pharmaceutical company Mayne Pharma Ltd. He joined the drug firm’s board in November 2010 and accepted the position on Thursday.

Business chief Heather Ridout has thrown her support for the federal government’s flood recovery package announced today, but reiterated the need for transparency and oversight.

Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX:TLS), Australia's biggest telecommunications company, will make an accounting gain of up to $150 million on an agreement to restructure its troubled 50:50 Hong Kong joint venture Reach.

Building and mining products provider Alesco Corporation Ltd (ASX:ALS) has posted an 82 per cent decline in net profit to $1.76 million for the six months to 30 November 2010.

NSW households have turned their back on credit cards, slashing card debt by 20 per cent and trimming the number of cards owned. And, it was all done in the pre-Christmas period – traditionally a time of big card spending.

Households in regional Western Australia are streaking ahead of Perth residents when it comes to financial well-being, according new data released today.

PaperlinX Ltd (ASX: PPX) says it expects a net loss for the six months to December 2010 as the strength of the Australian dollar causes a non-cash impact related to currency hedging options.

Leighton Contractors (ASX: LEI) has been awarded a $110 million contract by multinational packaging company Amcor (ASX: AMC) for the design and construction of civil & building infrastructure at the Botany B9 Paper Mill in Sydney.

Australian competition regulator Graeme Samuel says the proposed rules unveiled by Treasurer Wayne Swan last month on increasing competition in the banking sector would bring Australia into line with similar pro-competition regulations in Europe and the US.

Australian dairy farmers expressed concerns following Coles’ decision to slash the price of their home brand fresh milk by up to 33 per cent.