Today's Headlines

an Aussie's viewpoint on Australia's first daily Internet newspaper
Since October 1995

Friday 29th December 1995

Search news archive by day
Search archive by text (NB - News Index)
Definitive Guide to Aussie webs
Global Web Builders Gold
The Kid's Locker Room
World Wide Websters

International:

Australia cut funding support of Au$2.2 million to the Solomon Islands as a protest over its logging policy. The decision does seem somewhat strange seeing that there is great debate and discord within Australia about its own logging policy.

Political:

The failed attempt to sell ANL, the Australian Shipping Line, to P&O could cost the Federal Government Au$1 million. The sale, which was scuttled by the Federal Government, is now a subject of a compensation claim. The waterside union is one of Australia's most powerful unions which has no hesitation in bringing the country's exports and imports to a halt through strike action if they feel threatened.

Business:

National Australia Bank said that the Reserve Bank could now afford to slash interest rates by half a percent following sluggish Christmas sales. This would lead to a fall in interest rates on housing and give the Federal Government the opportunity to do a bit of breast beating about the good that they are doing for the Australian economy.

Sport:

In cricket the Australian team have left the Sri Lankan's in a state of disarray. Requiring 500 runs to match the Australian first innings, the Sri Lankan team were dispatched for only 233 and, being forced to follow on, were 1 for 33 at close of play yesterday.
Sayonara just missed out on the 20 year old Sydney to Hobart race record. The Order of the Fleet shows the positions of the top 15 boats at 4.30am.

Social:

Australia's population topped 18 million in mid-1995. 85% of the population is concentrated in the urban areas. A worrying statistic released by the United Nations Population Institute was that at current trends the human population of the earth would rise from the current 5.75 billion to 14 billion by the year 2015.

Personal trivia:

After a warm day at the office we had the most unusual thunder storm role through at sunset. The storm came from the south and created quite a spectacle as the thunderhead grew overhead when two oceans of air met above us. With the setting sun tinting the clouds high above red along a line separating the blue sky from the flashing, thrashing storm below one had the feeling of being on the cross roads between the past and the future. With the turbulent future dissolving into good life-giving rains while the thrashing storm dissipated before it arrived. Like life so many of our worries and fears of the future are no more than clouds in the sky. Clouds that more often than not bring rain and opportunity - if only we could grasp the moment!
Return to Australian National News of the Day
#
Web development, design, and storage by Global Web Builders - Email: global@gwb.com.au

See GLOBE International for other world news.
WA
anotd