Australia/Antarctica News

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia is considering taking Iran's president to the International Court of Justice for inciting violence against Israel, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said Wednesday.

CANBERRA, Australia - Australia's new government won praise from the United Nations and human rights groups Wednesday for offering refugees permanent sanctuary rather than temporary visas.

SYDNEY (AFP) - Shares in mining giant BHP Billiton hit an all time high on the Australian stock exchange Wednesday on talk that a Chinese entity was seeking a stake in the group.

DARWIN, Australia - An Australian man has been fined after buckling in a case of beer with a seat belt but leaving a 5-year-old child to sit on the car's floor, police said Tuesday.

SYDNEY (AFP) - Two major Australian banks agreed Tuesday to a proposed merger which would create the nation's biggest financial services group worth around 66 billion dollars (62 billion US).

SYDNEY (AFP) - The Australian military on Monday cleared its soldiers over the deaths of two women and a baby during a battle in Afghanistan but said all civilian casualties were "highly regrettable".

SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian man has described how he escaped from the jaws of a great white shark by poking it in the eye as it dragged him under water.

SYDNEY (AFP) - The Australian military Friday said it was investigating allegations that its troops mistreated suspected insurgents in Afghanistan, shortly after a special forces soldier was killed there.

SYDNEY, Australia - Australia is investigating allegations that its soldiers mistreated suspected insurgents in prison in Afghanistan, the military said Friday.

SYDNEY, Australia - With a bill like a duck, a tail like a beaver and snake-like venom hidden in heel spurs, the platypus could be the result of some strange genetic experiment.

TOKYO (AFP) - Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith held talks Thursday on resolving a dispute with Japan over whaling, but he said Canberra was still considering taking the row to international courts.

SYDNEY (AFP) - The number of Australians who want to replace the monarchy with a republic has fallen to its lowest level in almost 15 years, according to a poll published Thursday.

SYDNEY (AFP) - Pressure was mounting Thursday on Pope Benedict XVI to apologise for sexual and physical abuse allegedly committed by priests in Australia when he visits the country in July.

CANBERRA, Australia - Koalas are threatened by the rising level of carbon dioxide pollution in the atmosphere because it saps nutrients from the eucalyptus leaves they feed on, a researcher said Wednesday.

SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian political campaigner who distributed leaflets falsely implying his opponents supported Muslim extremist bombers was fined 750 dollars (705 US) in a Sydney court Wednesday.

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia's koalas are threatened by global warming because higher temperatures and increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could cripple their food supply, new research showed Wednesday.

SYDNEY (AFP) - Pope Benedict XVI will give a new meaning to the term religious text by sending "inspirational messages" to mobile phones during Catholic World Youth day in Australia, organisers said Wednesday.

HONG KONG (AFP) - China should be aware of the difficulties new visa restrictions could cause for businesses ahead of the Olympics, Australia's foreign minister said on Tuesday.

JAKARTA, Indonesia - Indonesia extradited four rebel soldiers suspected in the attempted assassinations of East Timor's president and prime minister, the police chief said Monday.

SYDNEY, Australia - An Australian doctor proposed Monday that the government pay up to $47,000 for kidney donations to overcome a chronic shortage.

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith embarked on a three-city Asian tour on Monday, saying he expected to voice Canberra's opposition to whaling during talks with Japan.

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australian Christian groups Monday welcomed a decision by a local territory government to abandon its plans to legalise same-sex civil unions after intervention from Canberra.

TUBAN, Indonesia (Reuters) - Indonesia on Monday extradited four rebel soldiers from East Timor wanted for alleged involvement in attacks on the tiny nation's president and prime minister in February.

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia's most populous state will privatise its electricity industry despite overwhelming opposition from the ruling party's rank-and-file membership, Premier Morris Iemma said Sunday.

HAGATNA, Guam (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama beat rival Hillary Clinton by just seven votes in Guam's nominating contest after record numbers of residents voted in the tiny U.S. territory's primary, officials said on Sunday.

HAGATNA, Guam (AFP) - Democratic White House hopeful Barack Obama defeated rival Hillary Clinton in caucuses on the tiny US Pacific island of Guam at the weekend, a small but welcome victory after several rough weeks on the campaign trail.

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Perth's international airport was temporarily shut on Saturday night and flights were diverted as Australian police investigated a suspicious package discovered by baggage handlers on a Malaysia Airlines plane.

HAGATNA, Guam (AFP) - Barack Obama beat Hillary Clinton in the Guam caucuses in the Democratic White House battle by a mere seven votes, local party officials said Sunday.

HAGATNA, Guam (AFP) - US presidential hopeful Barack Obama won the Guam Democratic caucuses by a narrow seven votes over Hillary Clinton, the Pacific Daily News website reported quoting official figures.