The Coalition is not discounting the Australian dollar hitting $US1.25 as it shapes policy proposals for those industries which would be most affected.

When Julia was accused of lying about the Carr affair, I decided to look at the details of the process and analyse... 

I could be totally wrong of course....

Barry and Clover...

''Never underestimate our ability to turn on ourselves,'' a senior Liberal MP said. Another said, ''We are getting away with murder'', in relation to some of the policies already in the mix.

Mining barons Clive Palmer and Andrew Forrest have taken on the Treasurer, Wayne Swan, the first labelling him an "intellectual pygmy" who does not understand economics and the second launching a national advertising campaign against him.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has declared he is confident Australians will send him to The Lodge, suggesting to a Liberal Party audience he is a sure bet to be prime minister.

The global gender gap defies simple solutions. Eighty-five per cent of countries have improved conditions for women over the past six years, according to the World Economic Forum, but in economic and political terms there is still a long way to go.

"From London to Lahore," says Oxfam, "inequality between men and women persists." Here The Independent on Sunday explores the best places to be a woman today.

Yesterday I received an email from Stratfor CEO and founder George Friedman. "Deplorable, unfortunate and illegal," he thundered.

Having had our property stolen, we will not be victimised twice by submitting to questions about them.

Bob Carr's love of US Civil War history doesn't make him qualified to be Australia's next foreign minister, a senior federal opposition frontbencher says.

And everybody praised the Duke
Who this great fight did win. 
"But what good came of it at last?"
Quoth little Peterkin.
"Why, that I cannot tell," said he;
"But 'twas a famous victory."