Thursday, January 17, 2008
Giant Madagascar palm flowers itself to death
Botanists have announced the identification of an enormous new species of palm whose bizarre life cycle requires the plant to kill itself after flowering.[MORE]
Bhutan calls first general election
Bhutan's election commission says the Asian nation will hold its first ever general election on March 24.[MORE]
11 killed in Moroccan building collapse
At least 11 people were killed when a two-storey building under construction collapsed in Morocco's Atlantic city of Khenitra.[MORE]
Most Sri Lankan ambush victims were shot: military
Sri Lanka's military says most of the 27 people killed in a bus ambush were shot by rebels as the passengers tried to flee rather than in the blast that struck the vehicle.[MORE]
SES sends more boats to flooded Charleville
The Queensland State Emergency Service (SES) is sending extra rescue boats to the south-western town of Charleville ahead of predicted flooding later tonight.[MORE]
Israel carries out missile test
Israel's Defence Ministry says it has carried out a missile test, raising speculation the launch was part of a program to develop longer-range weapons or improve an anti-missile defence system.[MORE]
AFP denies leaking Ali-Haneef info
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) has categorically denied leaking information from an ongoing investigation into former Gold Coast-based doctors Asif Ali and Mohamed Haneef.[MORE]
Fetus dumped in Philippines presidential palace
Filipino officials have launched an inquiry after a human fetus was found inside a bathroom at the Philippines presidential palace in Manila.[MORE]
Water bombing saves homes from fire
Firefighters will work through the night monitoring a contained bushfire that has burned more than 27 hectares in South Australia's Adelaide Hills.[MORE]
Crews patrol destructive Bellingham blaze
Fire crews are continuing to patrol a bushfire in Tasmania's north-east that has caused extensive damage in the past 24 hours.[MORE]
Bainimarama moves to rid Fiji of 'coup culture'
Fiji is to review the military's role in public life as part of a bid to end the country's notorious coup culture.[MORE]
Smoke alarm saved family's lives: firefighter
A smoke alarm has saved the lives of a woman and her two children when fire devastated their flat in the Melbourne surburb of South Yarra.[MORE]
Indian pacemen rattle Australia on eventful day
India led Australia by 170 runs with nine second innings wickets in hand at stumps on the second day of the third Test at the WACA in Perth.[MORE]
Sea Shepherd will only accept 'unconditional' Govt help
The anti-whaling group Sea Shepherd says it will accept the Australian Government's offer to help defuse a stand-off over two of its crew members, who are being held on a Japanese whaling ship.[MORE]
China steps up resettlement of Tibetan herders
The Chinese Government will move more than 52,000 Tibetan herders and farmers into permanent housing this year - a practice rights groups say has been marked by abuses.[MORE]
Japan back to supporting coalition in Afghanistan
Japan has ordered two naval ships to head back to the Indian Ocean after Parliament forced through the resumption of a mission supporting the US-led war on terrorism.[MORE]
British woman triggers sea rescue after film confusion
An elderly woman in Scotland watching a film on television triggered an alert by calling coastguards to alert them to swimmers in distress after confusing drama with real life, an official says.[MORE]
Former US congressman charged over militant links
A former United States congressman has been charged with having links to an Islamic group allegedly sending secret funds to militants in Afghanistan. [MORE]
Woman dies in timberyard accident
A 35-year-old woman from Yallourn North has died in a workplace accident in Gippsland in Victoria.[MORE]
Facebook jibes land four Lebanese in jail: reports
Four Lebanese university students have been jailed for a week for making crude remarks on the Facebook social networking site about the singing talents of a woman they met at a party, media reports have said.[MORE]
OJ Simpson leaves jail after judge's lecture
OJ Simpson has been freed from a Las Vegas jail after spending five nights behind bars for trying to contact a defendant in an armed-robbery case that could send him to prison for life.[MORE]
Man dies in truck crash
Police say the Cunningham Highway is still closed south of Ipswich after a fatal truck crash.[MORE]
Kenyan police fire teargas at protesters
Kenyan riot police have fired teargas at hundreds of protesters blocking a road near Nairobi's Mathare slum, as a second day of demonstrations against President Mwai Kibaki's disputed election began.[MORE]
Perth man arrested for drug possession in Bali
Police on the Indonesian resort island of Bali have arrested an Australian national for possession of marijuana, an official says.[MORE]
High lead levels found at Brisbane hospital
Queensland Health says high lead levels have been detected around the Royal Brisbane Hospital in the city's north.[MORE]
