AUSTRALIA

Japan's JFE Steel Corp (5411.T) said on Tuesday it is boosting purchases of coking coal from the United States, China, Russia and Indonesia after heavy floods hit production sites in Australia, its biggest supplier.

Every time you fill up your car this winter you are participating in the biggest taxpayer swindle in history. Only a policy created in Washington DC could drive up the prices of gasoline and food, with the added benefits of costing the American taxpayer billions in tax subsidies and killing people in 3rd world countries.

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Rafa Nadal believes his quest for a fourth consecutive grand slam is mission almost impossible and the world number one belted back Roger Federer's suggestion the flu-hit Spaniard is the Australian Open favorite.

Global law firm Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer has appointed Robert Ashworth for the role of Asia managing partner.

Brisk walking regularly not only burn off calories, but will also lessen the diabetes risk provided you walk more, say Australian researchers. The researchers say 10,000 steps daily 5 days a week would be three times more protective in insulin sensitivity than 3,000 steps a day.

Australia's third-largest city started cleaning up stinking mud and debris on Friday after some of the country's worst floods on record, but in a sign of the task ahead, it could take six months to pump flood waters out of Queensland's coal mines.

Tata Steel, the world's seventh-largest steel maker, said on Friday that it would hold on to its shares in Australian miner Riversdale, calling it a strategic stake.

Coal freight lines could start reopening as early as Thursday in Australia's flooded Queensland coalfields as waters recede, rail officials said, prompting predictions of a faster-than-expected start to a recovery in exports.

China is a money-sucking black hole that wastes resources and chokes the natural flow of the market-driven global economy.

China dumped plans to import several million tonnes of expensive corn and South Korea unveiled cuts in import tariffs on some products, underscoring the dilemma over how to tackle rising food prices.

Floods left parts of Australia's third-biggest city on Thursday looking like a war zone in need of years of reconstruction, the state premier said, while fresh threats loomed with a cyclone forecast offshore.

Heavy monsoons and resultant floods have affected nearly 1-million people in the north central and eastern provinces of the island nation and have killed at least two dozen people. It is believed that more than 300,000 people have been displaced from their homes.

While environmentalists fear destruction of marine life and the Great Barrier Reef due to floods, here’s a fact sheet about traveling in Queensland, weather condition, information on operational airports and affected areas to avoid while in Brisbane

The “worst” flood ever in the city of Brisbane in Australian state of Queensland could take a total toll on tourism by incurring the industry a loss of about $100 million, as the Brisbane River peaked at about 4.46m on Thursday.

Queensland premier Anna Bligh on Thursday said the reconstruction of Queensland following the devastation of raging flood waters meant a huge task of post war proportions.

Amid reports of looting in Brisbane and Ipswitch due to heavy floods, Police Minister Neil Roberts and Commissioner Bob Atkinson have announced Operation Safeguard to deploy 100 policemen from Brisbane and another 100-member squad drawn from interstate police services on Thursday.

After Chinese President Hu Jintao and Barack Obama show the world smiles and handshakes next week, the wait will begin for the next of the feuds that have regularly sapped trust between the two powers.

Flood water in Australia's third-biggest city peaked below feared catastrophic levels on Thursday but Brisbane and other devastated regions faced years of rebuilding as a fresh flood threat loomed with a cyclonic storm building off the coast.

Worries about China's military buildup and aggressive diplomacy are bolstering its neighbors' desire to see Washington stay committed to the region while pushing them to hedge their bets against waning U.S. influence.

After Chinese President Hu Jintao and Barack Obama show the world smiles and handshakes next week, the wait will begin for the next of the feuds that have regularly sapped trust between the two powers.