Wobbles in Earth’s tilt helped bring an end to prehistoric ice ages

SYDNEY - A team of scientists has found new evidence which indicates that wobbles in the Earth’s tilt were responsible for the global warming episodes that helped bring the planet out of prehistoric ice ages.

Chinese takeover of Australia’s Felix Resources embraced by investors as shares soar

SYDNEY — Investors on Friday firmly endorsed an Australian dollars 3.5 billion ($3 billion) plan for Yanzhou Coal to buy Felix Resources Ltd. in what would be China’s biggest investment yet in the Australian minerals sector.

Murder accused faked brain tumour in Australia

SYDNEY - An Australian man accused of killing three of a family in 2003 had faked a brain tumour and claimed he had only six months to live, in an attempt to gain sympathy and access to the family, a court in Brisbane was told.

Asian markets gains amid new signs the world economy emerging from deep recession

BANGKOK — Most major Asian markets advanced Friday with commodity stocks rising amid more signs the world economy is emerging from a deep recession. European shares traded higher.

Brisbane’s Punjab Place to retain its name

SYDNEY - Punjab Place, a street in the Australian city of Brisbane, would continue to keep its name after a petition to change it led to criticism.

Good looks don’t sell if customer is a woman

SYDNEY - Female customers are less likely to buy an item from a shop if they feel the sales girls are more attractive than they are, according to a study.

Oil below $70 by afternoon in Europe amid forecasts for weak crude demand this year

VIENNA — Oil prices lingered below $70 a barrel Wednesday after several organizations said global demand for crude would improve only gradually as economies struggle to emerge from recession.

Inquiry blames captain’s ‘errors of judgment’ for WWII ship tragedy

CANBERRA, Australia — A military inquiry on Wednesday blamed a navy captain’s “errors of judgment” for one of Australia’s worst maritime tragedies, in which 645 crew were lost when a cruiser was sunk by a German raider during World War II.

Wreckage of missing plane found in Papua New Guinea

SYDNEY - The wreckage of a light plane with 13 people on board that went missing in Papua New Guinea has been found, officials said Wednesday.

Oil drops to near $69 in Asia amid forecasts for weak crude demand this year

SINGAPORE — Oil prices dropped to near $69 a barrel Wednesday in Asia after the U.S. and OPEC said global crude consumption will slump this year as economies struggle to emerge from recession.

Inquiry blames captain’s ‘errors of judgment’ for one of Australia’s worst maritime tragedies

CANBERRA, Australia — A military inquiry on Wednesday blamed a navy captain’s “errors of judgment” for one of Australia’s worst maritime tragedies, in which 645 crew were lost when a cruiser was sunk by a German raider during World War II.

Australian leader says no survivors from plane crash in Papua New Guinea; 13 killed

SYDNEY — All 13 people aboard a chartered plane heading to a tourist region of Papua New Guinea were killed when the plane crashed while approaching the rugged terrain during foul weather, Australia’s prime minister said Wednesday.

Wreckage of missing charter plane found in ‘very difficult’ terrain in Papua New Guinea

SYDNEY — Rescuers in a helicopter saw no immediate signs of life Wednesday at the wreckage of a chartered plane that crashed while carrying 13 people to a tourist region of Papua New Guinea, the airline said.

Australia assures Krishna of taking a number of measures to protect Indian students

NEW DELHI - Australian has assured External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna during his recent visit to that country of taking a number of measures to ensure the safety of Indian students studying there.

Rio Tinto ’still unaware’ of any evidence to justify China’s detention of 4 workers

SYDNEY — Rio Tinto Ltd. said Tuesday it was still unaware of any evidence to justify China’s detention of four employees on spying allegations, as the Australian government urged Beijing to speed up the case.

Plane carrying 13 people vanishes on approach to airport in Papua New Guinea

SYDNEY — A charter plane carrying 13 people to a popular tourist site in Papua New Guinea vanished on approach in bad weather to an airport nestled in rugged terrain on Tuesday. Australia’s foreign minister said a “possible crash site” may have been found.

Oz, China spat over Rio Tinto ’spy’ claim may be on the mend

SHANGHAI - With the Chinese Government backtracking on a website article that accused a British-Australian steel company of industrial espionage costing Beijing 100 billion dollars, and Australian diplomats in Shanghai meeting detained Rio Tinto executive for a second time, it appears as if ties between Beijing and Canberra are on the mend after weeks of tension.

Source: China’s Yanzhou in talks to buy Australian coal miner Felix Resources for $2.9 billion

SYDNEY — China’s Yanzhou Coal Mining is in talks to buy Australian coal miner Felix Resources Ltd. in a cash takeover bid worth about 3.5 billion Australian dollars ($2.9 billion), a person close to the negotiations said Tuesday.

Rio Tinto shares plunge more than 3 percent after China claims a 6-year spying campaign

SYDNEY —Rio Tinto Ltd.’s share price plunged more than 3 percent Monday after China accused the Anglo-Australian miner of conducting a six-year spying campaign that it claimed cost Chinese steelmakers billions of dollars in inflated prices for iron ore.

Murdoch’s decision to charge for access to News Corp. websites opposed

SYDNEY - Readers of news.com.au, a website owned by Aussie media mogul Rupert Murdoch, have opposed Murdoch’s announcement that pay walls would be erected around all news websites by News Corporation.

Human-induced land cover changes can influence regional climate

WASHINGTON - Scientists have analyzed seven different climate models to come to the conclusion that human-induced land cover changes (LCCs), such as the clearing of forests for farming, can affect climate.

Indian student killed, four trapped after minibus hits tree

SYDNEY - An Indian student died after a hire minibus carrying 10 people veered off the road on the way to Mount Buller.

Australia considers using marksmen in helicopters to cut down exploding camel population

SYDNEY —Thousands of camels in Australia’s remote Outback could be killed by marksmen in helicopters under a government proposal aimed at cutting down the population of the havoc-wreaking creatures.

Tasmania’s east coast records highest-ever winter water temperatures

SYDNEY - Tasmania’s east coast is recording its highest-ever winter water temperatures of more than 13 degrees Celsius, which is up to 1.5 degrees C above normal, due to a strengthening of an ocean current originating north of Australia.

‘Super Earth’ has rocky surface, say astronomers

SYDNEY - European astronomers have said that the smallest planet yet detected outside our Solar System, dubbed ‘Super Earth’, appears to have a solid surface.

Krishna conveys New Delhi’s concern over attacks on Indian students to Oz authorities

SYDNEY - External Affairs minister S.M.Krishna on Thursday conveyed New Delhi’s concerns to Australian authorities over the recent attacks on Indian students.

Ferry sinks in rough Pacific waters off Tonga, dozens feared dead

NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga — Giving women and children the comfort of cabins while men stayed on deck may have doomed them to be trapped inside an overnight ferry that capsized in heavy seas off Tonga, officials said. Dozens are missing and feared dead.

Dozens feared dead after ferry sinks off Tonga; rescuers pull 50 survivors from water

NUKU’ALOFA, Tonga — An overnight ferry packed with sleeping passengers flipped in heavy seas near the Pacific island nation of Tonga, leaving more than 30 people missing and feared dead, officials said Thursday.

Water helps trigger New Zealand’s quakes

SYDNEY - A new research has given the clearest picture yet of the role of water in helping to trigger earthquakes in New Zealand.

Australian leader says there has been ‘considerable’ loss of life in Tongan ferry sinking

SYDNEY — Australia’s leader says there has been ‘considerable’ loss of life in a ferry sinking off Tonga.