Statement on Release of David Hicks

TWO brothers will appear in court today charged with assaulting a father and son at their home on Brisbane's southside during a violent gang bashing.

The New South Wales Government has launched an online survey to allow consumers to give feedback about the state's real estate agents.

NRMA is urging New Year's Eve revellers to figure out how they are going to get home before heading out to celebrations.

Investigations are underway into the cause of a power outage blamed for two separate emergencies in the Melbourne suburb of St Kilda last night.

The New South Wales Opposition says it is extremely concerned that Premier Morris Iemma plans to start the sale of the state's & #36;15 billion power industry before Parliament resumes in February.

Recent Australian dollar gains have been completely offset by similar Canadian dollar rallies, but a hold of support on the AUDCAD pair may send the Aussie higher through short-term currency trading.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - The dollar is losing ground as the currency of choice in the world's foreign exchange reserves, the International Monetary Fund said Friday.

Security screens will be trialed on Tasmania's new Metro buses from April next year.as part of a new deal negotiated before the Federal Industrial Relations Commission.

The following substantial shareholder notices were made to the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) on Monday.

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Sales of new homes in the US plunged in November as tight lending conditions and consumer pessimism led to the slowest rate in more than 12 years, new government data showed Friday.

PARIS (AFP) - The European aircraft manufacturer Airbus has largely surpassed its 2007 cost-cutting target and could end the year with savings of as much as 400 million euros (587 million dollars), the newspaper Les Echos reported Friday.

NEW YORK (AFP) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Group will launch a bond insurer unit for cities, countries and states to finance public projects such as schools and hospitals, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

08:16 : For the first time in six months there was a fare inspector in the VTA light rail

That is, talking about Aaron Sorkin. Steve mentions that the West Wing wasn't as good after Aaron left. I'd have to agree with that, and you can tell from the scripts that Aaron had left... The dialog wasn't as clever,

ROME (AFP) - Air France-KLM, the world's largest airline by revenues, came a step closer Friday to controlling the near-bankrupt Alitalia after Italy's finance minister said it could begin exclusive takeover talks.

TWO men have been charged with manufacturing amphetamine after police and customs uncovered a clandestine drug laboratory in suburban Perth.

A 25-year-old Chinese man from Sydney has drowned in a river mouth in northeast Tasmania.

A MAN in his 30s has died after he was stabbed at a house in Melbourne's north.

A SUPREME Court judge has warned against disputing small value wills after 40 per cent of an estate was eaten up by legal fees in one of his trials.