Opposition treasury spokesman Malcolm Turnbull has accused the Government of making tough economic times tougher and undermining confidence in the Australian economy.

Yesterday the Reserve Bank kept interest rates steady at 7.25 per cent after figures pointed towards a sharp slowdown of the economy. Economists have now predicted there could be an interest rate cut as early as next month. 

In the immediate aftermath of the 2001 anthrax attacks, White House officials repeatedly pressed FBI Director Robert Mueller to prove it was a second-wave assault by Al Qaeda, but investigators ruled that out, the Daily News has learned. 

There is now a growing discomfort about the role of speculative finance in the US, the capital of global finance. In an open letter addressed to all airline customers, leaders of airlines in the US have recently requested the passengers to join them in pushing legislation to add more transparency and disclosure in the oil markets. 

Also, global warming is a myth. That’s right. Cardinal George Pell said so.  

from Crikey ….. 

AFP keeps Haneef cards close to its chest 

Greg Barns writes: 

Our government really does not support democracy, except rhetorically.

When the Palestinians had a free and fair election and chose Hamas members to man their government, we refused to recognize the new government.

Apparently, the Bush administration's definition of a free election is one that provides the results the president wants.  

NSW police now have special emergency powers to bug or track people for up to four days without a warrant. 

Under the biggest shake-up to the state's surveillance laws, police will have up to four days to monitor people before needing to apply retrospectively for an emergency warrant from a Supreme Court judge. 

The Federal Government is continuing to attack the record of former treasurer Peter Costello, as speculation increases about him taking over the Liberal leadership. 

The US intelligence agencies provide a biannual report to Congress on the weapons of mass destruction developed by foreign states, which covers Iran, North Korea, India, Pakistan and others, but not Israel.  

In the first hours of dawn, Nader Elayan was woken by a call from a neighbour warning him to hurry to the house he had almost finished building. By the time he arrived, it was too late: a bulldozer was tearing down the walls. More than 100 Israeli security guards held back local residents. 

I'm on the road right now, will be back in a few days, with only sporadic contact with the virtual world of the blogosphere - and the hallucinated world of 'higher politics.' 

The US always likes to pretend it is the innocent victim, attacked or about to be attacked for no reason at all. Next on the list are the hapless Iranians ….. 

In a revolutionary leap that could transform solar power from a marginal, boutique alternative into a mainstream energy source, MIT researchers have overcome a major barrier to large-scale solar power: storing energy for use when the sun doesn't shine.  

from Crikey ….. 

Mungo: Howard's detention regime diminished us all 

Opposition Leader Brendan Nelson says he will lead the Coalition to the next election.

Dr Nelson's handling of the Coalition's policy on an emissions trading scheme has led to speculation his leadership is in trouble, with some MPs withdrawing their support.

However, today he told ABC Local Radio in Adelaide that he was sticking with the job.