Australia | featured news

The rising hot air from a fire in Australia make flames rise up like a tornado.

Clearly tired of being dissed, vilified and attacked for her wealth, the outspoken Ms. Rinehart wrote an article full of unapologetic statements of economic truth. A choice sample: “There is no monopoly on becoming a millionaire. If you’re jealous of those with more money, don’t just sit there and complain. Do something to make more money yourself—spend less time drinking, or smoking and socializing and more time working.”

The Australian government is rolling out a radical new way of paying welfare benefits that may be instructive for other countries around the world. Instead of being given cash or cheques, thousands of people are now issued with electronic "credit" cards.

China's Yu Wenxia has been crowned the 2012 Miss World. This is the second time Miss China has been awarded the title. The last time was in 2007 when Zhang Zilin took the honor. The first runner-up is Sophie Elizabeth Moulds of Wales and the second runner-up is Jessica Michelle Kahawaty of Australia.

Australia's highest court upheld the world's toughest law on cigarette promotion on Wednesday despite protests from tobacco companies that argued the value of their trademarks will be destroyed under new rules that will strip all logos from cigarette packs....

Allison Schmitt rallies the Americans to victory with a strong anchor leg... The U.S. took the gold with in an Olympic record time of 7 minutes 42.92 seconds. Australia, which had led after three legs,
was second in 7:44.41 and France was well back in 7:47.49 to take the bronze.

The Colorado teenager Missy Franklin won the 100-meter backstroke to earn her first gold medal, outracing Emily Seebohm of Australia in a stirring duel that completed a wild 20 minutes at the London Aquatics Centre for her.

A judge in Australia ordered a Sydney multimillionaire who met his wife when she worked at a lap dancing club to honor the $3.25 million prenuptial agreement now that they are divorcing, despite his argument that she was a gold-digger who used sex to lure him into a loveless relationship, Australia’s Daily Telegraph reported on Thursday.

An Australian mining magnate has commissioned a Chinese shipyard to build a replica of the ill-starred Titanic; complete in every detail but equipped with modern technology to prevent a repeat of the original's fateful maiden voyage 100 years ago.

WikiLeaks says the group's founder, Julian Assange, will run for a seat in the Australian Senate in elections due late next year despite facing criminal charges in Sweden.