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Afternoon Edition. Wed 15 Jun 2011
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Top Stories	More Top Stories >
Tree crushes man as rivers keep rising A man was killed when his car was crushed by a tree, brought down by heavy weather that continued to batter the mid-north coast of New South Wales. Stevens hints at August rate rise The Reserve Bank governor has given the clearest hint yet that interest rates are likely to rise in August if inflation continues edging higher. Quadriplegic farmer ends wheelchair desert trek A Central Australian grazier left paralysed after a helicopter crash has become the first person to cross the remote Tanami Desert in a wheelchair. Ash cloud delays spread to Perth The disruption from the Chilean volcano ash cloud is spreading to Western Australia, with Virgin Australia, Qantas and Jetstar all cancelling flights to and from Perth. 11 charged as police crack paedophile ring A teacher at an exclusive Sydney boys prep school is among 11 Australian men charged after federal police cracked an alleged online child abuse ring.
The Drum	More from The Drum >
Modern Labor must rise above its myths and memories He made waves last week when he spoke openly about the challenges facing the ALP. To prove this was no flash in the pan, Senator John Faulkner was at it again today, telling a book launch crowd in Canberra that Labor 'must learn from the experience of Labor men and women of previous decades, and face up to the difficult challenge of reform'. This is a task, he says, as profound as it is urgent. Good film allows art to explain life Five days into my 49th film festival – or is it the 50th? – I find myself pitying again the people who, year after year, donÂ't go to them. They miss so much, and more as films get better and better. And their ignorance of the world grows. They will soon be as ignorant of it as Julia Gillard, or Barnaby Joyce, or Pauline Hanson, or Andrew Bolt. A superhighway for clean energy The Snowy Hydro-Electric Scheme created one of the world's largest ever renewable energy power complexes without any carbon tax or market mechanisms and the same must be done now. False notions of Indigenous community The notion of an 'Indigenous community' where everyone lives in harmony with one another and has similar views on things is an artificial construct. Debate without dazzle: Republicans take the stage After watching the US Republican candidates' debate in New Hampshire I walked away from the television with my head spinning. How on earth do you get a message across or convince voters you've got a plan for the economy or even a sensible view on foreign policy when you're forced to deliver it in under 30 seconds? Aside from Bachmann and Romney, the others all muddled along, no-one shining but no-one falling flat on their face.
Just in	More Just In Stories >
Dick Smith laments ash cloud no-fly zones Businessman and aviator Dick Smith would not have a problem flying through the ash cloud from a Chilean volcano and says the decision to ground flights is an "ultra-conservative" move. Eclipsed moon to turn blood red in morning sky Stargazers and astronomers will be looking to the sky in the early hours of tomorrow morning as the Moon becomes blood red in the longest total lunar eclipse in more than a decade. Labor MP attacked over credit card use Liberal Senator Michael Ronaldson has launched an extraordinary attack on Labor backbencher Craig Thomson, alleging misuse of a union credit card including payments to brothels.
World	More World Stories >
Libyan rebels make fresh gains Libyan rebels have made fresh gains in the west of the country, pushing back forces loyal to leader Moamar Gaddafi in a string of clashes that brought them closer to the capital Tripoli. Juror admits contacting defendant via Facebook A British juror has admitted to contempt of court for contacting a defendant in a drugs trial via Facebook, in the first case of its kind in the UK. Obama courts Hispanic vote in Puerto Rico United States president Barack Obama has made a rare visit to Puerto Rico, becoming the first sitting US president to make an official visit since John F Kennedy in 1961.
Business	More Business Stories >
Most flights resume as ash cloud goes west Flights at Alice Springs Airport in the Northern Territory are returning to normal today after two days of cancellations due to volcanic ash over southern Australia. Consumer sentiment slides to two-year low A widely watched measure of consumer attitudes has found confidence has dropped to the lowest level since June 2009. Mayor demands more transparency over Cubbie Station The Balonne Shire Mayor is demanding more scrutiny of the way Australia's largest cotton enterprise, Cubbie Station near Dirranbandi in Queensland's southern inland, is being administered.
Politics	More Politics Stories >
Greens introduce bottle deposit bill The Greens have introduced a private members bill to State Parliament for a 10 cent refund on bottles and cans. Drought relief funding to end in Qld's Gulf After several years of federal help, Queensland farmers are set to lose exceptional circumstances (EC) drought relief. Canal estate ban bill progresses An Independent Member of Tasmania's Upper House doubts a Labor bill banning canal estate developments will pass the state's Legislative Council.
Sport	More Sport Stories >
Force give up on O'Connor Mal rates Maroons pack one of the best FBI wants Lance Armstrong tapes Barlow back for Dockers Hewitt faces Wimbledon fitness race
Science & Technology	More Science & Technology Stories >
Eclipsed moon to turn blood red in morning sky Stargazers and astronomers will be looking to the sky in the early hours of tomorrow morning as the Moon becomes blood red in the longest total lunar eclipse in more than a decade. Mouse bait possible cause of bird deaths The deaths of large numbers of birds in the Adelaide Hills may have been caused by people laying mouse bait incorrectly. Scientists create hottest substance on Earth Scientists using the world's largest atom smasher have made some of the hottest and densest matter ever achieved on Earth.
Environment	More Environment Stories >
Expert calls for more tests amid arsenic scare A toxicologist says the Northern Territory Government must extend its testing for arsenic at Mount Bundy station to the entire food chain, not just to water and land. Sewage hits fan as E. coli closes beaches again The Northern Territory Opposition says it is not good enough that the Government still does not know what is causing E. Work resumes early at Ranger uranium mine Work at the Ranger uranium mine in the Northern Territory is resuming today, about six weeks earlier than expected.
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