Komfie Manalo

DSM Biologics, a unit of DSM Pharmaceutical Products, a global provider of manufacturing technology and services to the biopharmaceutical industry, announced finalizing preliminary agreement with the Queensland State Government and the Commonwealth of Australia to design, build and operate the first Australia-based mammalian biopharmaceutical manufacturing facility to be located in Brisbane.

New data released by the government showed that house prices for Australian capital city rose by 20 percent as at end March from a year ago.

The governments of Australia, the U.S. and the U.K. on Sunday warned of an "imminent' terror attacks in New Delhi targeting public areas, including markets in Connaught Place, Greater Kailash and Chandri Chwok.

The soon-to-be announced key tax reforms by the Rudd administration is seen to be a big boost for superannuation savings funds, which could mean bigger benefits for Australian pensioners, it was reported.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd insists that the planned new tax and packaging rules on tobacco is not a political move, but is aimed at raising revenues and discourage Australians from lighting up.

The expansive oil spill off the Gulf of Mexico is threatening the way of life of the people in the state of Louisiana, Governor Bobby Jindal warned.

The ongoing competition for retail deposits, cheap mortgages and lower bank fees are benefiting Australian consumers, said ANZ Banking Group Ltd (ANZ) chief executive Mike Smith.

Australia is boosting its beef exports to meet the growing demand in the U.S. and to take advantage of the forecasted rise in beef prices.

Ford Australia has announced plans to release a series of commemorative models to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the iconic Falcon.

Better hide those bronzed skin when visiting Tehran, Iran. At least if you are a woman. On Thursday, Tehran police chief Brig. Gen. Hossien Sajedinia has warned that all women sporting a tan will be arrested and imprisoned because this violates the "spirit of Islamic law." Thus, any woman that looked like a "walking mannequin" will be punished.

The Surgeon General has warned that smoking is dangerous to your health. Now the Federal government said smoking is harmful to your finances, as taxes on cigarettes will rise by 25 percent by Thursday midnight.

Spiral Foods Pty Ltd., which manufactures Bonsoy soy milk, confirmed on Wednesday that the controversial soy product, which was banned from store shelves last December 24 after it was linked to a series of thyroid problems, will be sold again the market after undergoing reformulation.

Australia's corporate watchdog has filed charges against 113 different companies between January 1 and March 31, 2010 for alleged violation of the Corporations Act. The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) said the allegations were brought to court after receiving complaints from the public and insolvency practitioners.

For causing the collapse of the companies they were managing, six corporate directors were banned by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) from managing corporations for more than 20 years.

She has been called a medical wonder. 10-year-old girl Rachael Shardlow miraculously survived being stung by a box jellyfish, one of the world's most venomous creatures, in December while swimming 23 kilometres upstream from the ocean mount in Calliope River, near Gladstone in Queensland.

The lingering debt default crisis in Greece is having minimal impact on the Australian banking industry, Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) assistant governor Guy Debelle said.

A retired jeweler sorting through items donated to a Pennsylvania charity got the surprise of his life when he discovered an expensive 2.6 carat diamond and platinum ring estimated to be worth $US17,600 ($19,000).

A survey made by consumer credit company Veda Advantage showed that applications for residential mortgage fell in the first quarter after the government's first home owner's grant was reverted to its pre-financial crisis levels.

Shares in Virgin Blue soared more than 4 percent, or 2.5 cents, to 60.5 cents on Wednesday as the company confirmed talks with New Zealand national carrier Air New Zealand for a possible trans-Tasmanian alliance.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd on Tuesday announced that his Labour government is suspending the carbon emissions trading scheme (ETS) until 2012, which is a complete reversal from one of his key election promises.

The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Workers' Union or CFMEU, Australia's premier union in construction, forestry and forest products, mining and energy production, on Tuesday its support to the resources tax which is expected to be included in the recommendations in the Henry tax review.

Australia's largest economic consulting firm Access Economics said South Australia must boost its mining industry if it wants to keep up with the economic development being enjoyed by other states.

Economic forecaster BIS Shrapnel predicted that Melbourne could overtake Sydney to become the nation's largest city by 2037 as population in the harbor-city is expected to fall and the number of constructions are also showing signs of decline.

Economists are predicting that the improvement in producer prices could induce the Reserve Bank of Australia to raise interest rates to counter any inflationary pressures.

Western Australian Treasurer Troy Buswell resigned on Tuesday after revelations that he used public money and resources during his four-month illicit affair with Greens MP Adele Carles was made public and snowballed into calls for him to quit.

The District Court of New South Wales on Tuesday sentenced 32-year-old former corporate executive Oliver Banovec, of Bellevue Hill, Sydney, NSW, after he was found guilty of five counts of fraud and one count of perjury. The court also said that Banovec would not be eligible for parole for a period of four years and nine months during his imprisonment.

Corporate regulator Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) scored a major victory in its civil penalty case against former Select Vaccines Limited chief executive officer Dr. Martin Soust of Malvern East, Victoria after it was granted a pecuniary penalty and disqualification orders.

Australia's Water Minister Penny Wong has announced a third round of buybacks as he encouraged sellers to release their water entitlements in the southern Murray Darling Basin.

Aboriginal landowners in the Northern Territory are up in arms against a government plan to construct the country's first long-term nuclear waste storage facility on their territory.