AUSTRALIA

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Ltd has agreed to pay about $550 million to buy some Asian units from British lender Royal Bank of Scotland, building up its Asia presence.

One of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer may originate in the cells lining the mammary ducts, which can be targeted in the fight against the disease, experts in Australia say.

China may have overstocked on commodities, risking a slowdown in buying and a correction in prices in the second half of this year, top economist Nouriel Roubini said on Monday, also reiterating that the global recession would continue until year-end.

The records fell like dominoes at the swimming championships in Rome this year, as Michael Phelps of the U.S. added to his already gilded career with five gold medals, the most at the competition.

A China-based cyber attack on Saturday shut down online bookings for a leading Australian film festival, days before a controversial visit by a leading critic of Beijing, organizers said.

Chevron Corp posted on Friday a 71 percent drop in profit on weaker energy prices and fuel demand due to the economic slump, but it raised estimated 2009 output and said cost cuts were on track.

China crushed the world record in the women's 800 free relay at the FINA World Championships, beating US as No. 1, followed by U.S. and Great Britain.

A rare albino wallaby has been born in captivity in Cyprus, becoming the star attraction at a private zoo.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki- moon on Wednesday pressed China's responsibility to lead the global fight against climate change, which, Ban said, was the major focus of his trip in Asia.

Hong Kong has found a new variant of the H3N2 seasonal influenza virus, the spokesman for the Centre for Health Protection (CHP) said on Wednesday, urging high-risk groups to get influenza vaccinations.

Asian shares tumbled from multi-month peaks on Wednesday, in a sell-off led by the Shanghai market, as investors booked in profits ahead of more company earnings.

Asian shares hovered near their 10-month peaks on Wednesday as investors wait for more company earnings, but China's CSCEC made a blockbuster listing in Shanghai.

Microsoft Corp has started accepting submission of mobile phone software applications from registered developers.

With no local data releases yesterday the Aussie dollar took direction from equity markets which began their reporting season in Australia.

Australia's government is considering doubling compensation for coal miners under its carbon trade scheme, media reports said on Tuesday, as a new poll found Australians want carbon laws delayed to next year.

Economic woes are taking a toll on marriages and relationships around the globe but the love lives of Americans seem to be most stressed by the recession, according to an international poll.

Hackers have defaced the website of Australia's biggest film festival which refused to withdraw a documentary about exiled Uighur leader Rebiya Kadeer, organizers said on Monday.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp is expected to report a group operating loss of around 20 billion yen for the April-June quarter, marking a second straight quarterly loss, the Nikkei business daily said.

If biking or swimming in the nude is your thing, apparently you are not alone with Nude Recreation Week this month celebrating its 32nd year -- but participants advise not to forget the sunscreen.

The number of new offshore oil and gas exploration wells will shrink by about 15 percent in 2009, as lower crude prices curb investments and hit smaller oil and gas producers, according to data from Derrick Petroleum Services.

The U.S. government has bought 195 million doses of H1N1 swine flu vaccine for a possible autumn vaccination campaign, a U.S. federal official said Thursday.