THE share market was higher at noon, despite losses in the US where worries are growing about the $830bn bank rescue plan.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) has joined four other central banks, including the US Federal Reserve, in setting up temporary reciprocal currency swap facilities to address elevated pressures in US dollar short term fundings markets.

THE US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is probing allegations of fraud by finance giants, US media has reported.

Former Reserve Bank governors Bernie Fraser and Ian Macfarlane have been called in to help the NSW government deal with the global economic downturn.

Japan's central bank on Wednesday stepped up efforts to calm financial turmoil, injecting more emergency funds into the banking system and offering dollars to the money market for the first time.

The price of fresh milk should soon drop by 11 cents per litre, federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke says.

SKILLED vacancies dropped 3.5 per cent in September, new data shows.

FORTESCUE Metals Group is closer to gaining access to Pilbara railways owned by its iron ore rivals with the High Court today ruling some tracks are not part of BHP Billiton's production process.

MARKET volatility has prompted airline Qantas to defer the minority float of its frequent flyer program until first half 2009.

THE Australian-made Pontiac G8 has been shortlisted for the 2009 North American Car of the Year (NACOTY) award.

BEACONSFIELD goldmine manager Matthew Gill flagged quitting his post weeks before the fatal 2006 rockfall, expressing concern that things might go "pear-shaped" and damage his reputation.

A SMALL boy has died and a girl has serious injuries after being buried under bricks and a heavy steel gate.

TASMANIA'S chief prosecutor has recommended no criminal charges be laid against former premier Paul Lennon and his deputy Steve Kons over allegations of political interference in two legal appointments.

THE search for Australian hiker John Parsons who disappeared in Hawaii this month has ended with no trace of him being found.

ANOTHER possible case of contaminated evidence has been found in a review of thousands of Victorian criminal cases.

A FATHER-of-two who strangled his de facto partner with his bare hands and a dressing gown cord has been jailed for 17 years.

POLICE have been granted permission to interview a remand prisoner considered a key suspect in the murders of police informer Terence Hodson and his wife Christine.

A FARMER arrested for refusing to allow water officials on her property to begin work on Victoria's controversial north-south pipeline says the scheme is a "disgrace".

FOUR men will appear before magistrates in Melbourne later today charged with a raft of offences after police seized drugs, firearms and explosives in raids across the city's north yesterday.

SIR Donald Bradman's first Test cricket bat will stay in Australia after fetching a record price at auction in Melbourne.