No one is above the law, not even a prime minister.

That is the conclusion of one of the most eagerly awaited court decisions in recent Italian history.

The country's Constitutional Court has ruled that Silvio Berlusconi and three other people in public life - the president of the republic and the two parliamentary speakers - should not have immunity from prosecution while they are in office.

But, just like the country as a whole, it seems the judges were divided over the issue. The judges voted nine to six against the law.

So what are the implications? Well, it is best to divide them into two.

US President Barack Obama has said his decision on a new strategy in Afghanistan will not please everyone.

He told key figures from Congress, gathered to discuss future US plans, that he would decide the question with a sense of urgency.

Democratic Senator Harry Reid said members from both parties told Mr Obama they would support his decision.

But Republican Senator Mitch McConnell stressed backing would depend on Mr Obama following his generals' advice.

Sunday week will be anything but a day of rest for Malcolm Turnbull and the Coalition, with the Opposition Leader convening a party-room meeting to thrash out amendments on the emissions trading scheme.

The shadow cabinet will also meet in Melbourne today to discuss the outline of those amendments, as Mr Turnbull admits internal party dissent over its ETS policy is damaging him and the Liberals.

"It doesn't reflect well on anyone," Mr Turnbull said. "Discipline is important and it's vital that we work as a team."

He told the ABC's 7.30 Report that convincing the Nationals may be a lost cause.

For a standout example of what is wrong with freedom of information in NSW you cannot go past the Ombudsman's new report into the Office of the Board of Studies.

Over 120 pages the deputy Ombudsman, Chris Wheeler, has shredded the office over its handling of freedom-of-information applications made by former students seeking details of the standardised marking system that determines the marks 67,000 students are awarded each year in the higher school certificate exams.

In the most profound financial change in recent Middle East history, Gulf Arabs are planning – along with China, Russia, Japan and France – to end dollar dealings for oil, moving instead to a basket of currencies including the Japanese yen and Chinese yuan, the euro, gold and a new, unified currency planned for nations in the Gulf Co-operation Council, including Saudi Arabia, Abu Dhabi, Kuwait and Qatar.

Opposition treasury spokesman Joe Hockey has urged his colleagues to show more discipline in the wake of another Coalition slump in the polls.

Today's Newspoll has Liberal support dropping from 33 per cent to 31 per cent and Coalition support from 38 per cent to 35 per cent.

On a two-party preferred basis Labor has a 16-point lead over the Coalition, with 58 per cent.

A senior Federal Liberal MP has publicly disagreed with Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull about the time frame for negotiating changes to the emissions trading scheme.

Mr Turnbull wants to negotiate amendments to the Government's plan before the legislation is reintroduced to Parliament in November.

Pope Benedict has warned that a form of colonialism continues to blight Africa.

Opening a three-week synod of African bishops, he said political colonialism was over.

But he said the developed world continued to export materialism - which he called "toxic spiritual rubbish" - to the continent.

Almost 200 bishops from 53 African states have gathered to discuss how the Catholic Church can help resolve the continent's social injustices and wars.

The Pope says he will attend as many of the working sessions of the synod as possible, his other duties permitting.

----------------------

Dublin: Within Europe's political corridors Tony Blair is emerging as the clear favourite to be the EU's first President.

The post is created under the Lisbon Treaty. The President will be a full-time official chosen by Europe's leaders - to chair summits and be the international face of the European Union.

If the Irish vote "Yes" to Lisbon another key milestone will be passed in ratifying the treaty. We'll know tomorrow.

Tony Blair is set to become EU President within weeks if Ireland votes 'Yes' in its referendum on the Lisbon Treaty tomorrow.

The former prime minister's candidacy for the new post will be rushed through as quickly as possible, according to government sources.

Mr Blair is among the favourites to become the first President of the European Union, a role that is chosen by the EU's 27 leaders and not by voters.

Such an appointment would restore him to the world stage as well as boost his long-term income.

Halloween is still a month away, but ghouls, ghosts and other grotesque creatures are already roaming America's streets, possibly preparing to knock at your door. What makes them so scream-out-loud horrifying is that they are the newly issued spawn of - shriek! - Wall Street.

The very same greed-fueled bankers who brought us the disaster of 2008's financial crash have created another exotic financial horror to replace their securitized subprime-mortgage packages that exploded all over us.

What are you waiting for Mr President if you cannot put at least a temporary hold on the $3 billion plus-a-year "aid" your country gives to Israel? If you cannot stop arms sales to Israel when US law expressly states they must be used for defensive purposes only, and when there is precedent for doing so?

If you cannot countenance the UN Security Council reaching its own conclusions free of US veto on the charges of war crimes in the Goldstone report? If you cannot distance the US administration from Israel's aggression and defiance even though it hurts America's interests?