POLITICS & POLICY

Despite the criticisms that the Labor government received for the proposed carbon tax, four major global green investment groups backed the carbon tax and said it will provide economic benefits to Australia.

The magazine has revealed its "Top 49 Men" list, with the late Apple founder Steve Jobs, Prince William, and influential athletes and actors topping the list.

Christopher Nolan, director of "The Dark Knight Rises," tells The Los Angeles Times he may include footage from the Occupy Wall Street protests in the final installment of the Batman movies.

There seems to be no end in sight for sexual harassment cases in the workplace.

The recently-crowned Miss Ireland, Holly Carpenter, has admitted that she took a lot of The Duchess' fashion sense when she flies for the Miss World competition on Nov. 6 in Earls Court in England

The series of Wall Street protests and mass actions being conducted by Greek citizens in Athens against the highly unpopular austerity measures of Prime Minister George Papandreou have one thing in common.

More Australians are taking public transportation to move around and biking to reach their destinations. The shift toward more environment-friendly and healthier transport options is one of the findings of the State of Australian Cities 2011 report released on Thursday.

The ACT Planning Strategy, which aims to make Canberra a more sustainable city into the future, will not be achieved unless the government reviews and recasts other policies that will directly work against achieving this outcome, the Property Council of Australia has warned.

As European banks struggle to commit as to how much their book values should be stated against the backdrop of deep sovereign bonds restructuring, Australian banks have remained strong and viable, according to a top officer of the Reserve Bank.

Acknowledging that federal intervention may do more harm instead of resolving the issue at hand, Prime Minister Julia Gillard reiterated her calls on concerned parties to resume dialogues and find reasonable ways of ending the ongoing Qantas Airways labor squabble.

The volatility continues on the local share market, with the market trading lower for the second session this week. European share markets rose overnight on hopes leaders will come up with a plan this weekend to deal with the region's debt crisis.

The Transport Workers Union (TWU) rejected a new agreement proposed by Qantas for the air carrier's 3,800 baggage handlers, caterers and ground staff.

Conducting business in Australia remains a rosy prospect for would-be investors but a joint report by the World Bank and the International Finance Corporation had indicated a slight drop on the country’s performance and ranking as one of the best place to do business with.

Two days before the summit of European Union heads of states in Brussels, the outlook of the economy in most European countries remained gloomy.

Victoria train riders may soon be able to send emails or surf the Web while on their way to work or home. The state government is considering installing wi-fi transmitters and improving communications on regional trains, according to Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder.

Australia and its people are by far the wealthiest nation and citizens in the world, according to the 2011 Credit Suisse Global Wealth report.

With a median wealth of $221,704 per adult, Australia has emerged as the wealthiest nation in the world in 2011, dislodging Switzerland.

Bell FX Currency Outlook:The Australian dollar is a little lower this morning on reports of a disagreement between France and Germany on the details of the European Financial Stability Facility.

The Australian Government Overseas Aid Program (AusAID) spent $110,000 for the training of aid workers in the martial arts technique of kung fu.

U.S. MarketsU.S. stocks dropped into negative territory as investors digested the Federal Reserve's gloomy assessment on the U.S. economy, adding to concerns about Apple's surprise earnings disappointment. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 46 points, or 0.4%, to 11530. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index lost 12 points, or 1%, to 1213, and the Nasdaq Composite shed 44 points, or 1.7%, to 2613.

MORNING REPORT (7am AEDT)US consumer prices rose by 0.3pct in September, underpinned by food and energy prices. But the core rate - excludes food and energy - rose by 0.1pct, to stand 2.0pct higher than a year ago. And housing starts soared by 15pct to a 658,000 annual rate in September, above forecasts for a result near 590,000 and the highest level since April 2010. Building permits were lower by 5pct to 594,000, below consensus estimates.

It seems that William and Kate much prefer regular bikes rather than pricey, luxurious cars when they get around their London hometown in Anglesey, Wales.

The "Rolling in the Deep" singer has nothing but great things to say about England's Royal family, especially that she shares the same citizenship with them.

Optimism towards a better economy in Australia is beginning to set in, according to the latest Westpac-Melbourne Institute Leading Index.

Amidst the stress weighing down on the present global financial situation, specifically in Europe, Australian banks are robust enough to ride out any new fiscal storms, according to the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA).

It turns out that the mystery man who swept Pippa on the dance floor in a gala was her ex boyfriend, Charlie Astor.

Cattle owners are in for good news as the drought forecast to hit US beef exports will give Australia's cattle industry the opportunity to increase output and take advantage of near-record prices.

Controversy appears to await Queen Elizabeth even before she arrived on Wednesday night in Canberra. An animal rights group is threatening to hold a protest while Queensland flood victims feel slighted by the non-inclusion of their area in what could be the royal's last visit to Australia.

Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will arrive in Canberra Wednesday evening for a 10-day visit to the ACT, four cities and three states.