Thursday, January 29, 2004
Whale explodes on Taiwan street
The decomposing remains of a 60-tonne sperm whale have exploded on a busy Taiwan street, showering nearby cars and shops with blood and organs and stopping traffic for hours, local newspapers said. [MORE]
MyDoom variant emerges, targets Microsoft
The MyDoom worm has continued to spread across the Internet, clogging up email traffic and hurting productivity as a new variant emerged to target Microsoft Corp's web site. [MORE]
Suicide blast vindicates security fence: Israel
Israel says today's suicide bus bomb attack in Jerusalem vindicates its construction of the West Bank separation barrier.[MORE]
Israel, Hezbollah make breakthrough prisoner swap
Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah have swapped prisoners in a historic exchange.[MORE]
English winter break plans backed despite 'wife' factor
Leading figures in English football have backed plans to introduce a mid-winter break from next season, despite a claim from Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp that his players would rather be training than "sitting about with the wife all day".[MORE]
Safin shocks Agassi to claim final berth
Unseeded Russian Marat Safin produced the upset of the tournament to dump defending champion Andre Agassi out of the semi-final of the Australian Open at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Thursday night.[MORE]
China denies it is bird flu source
China has rejected a report by a British scientific magazine that it is the source of the deadly bird flu sweeping Asia. [MORE]
Federer to lead Swiss four-man team against Romania
Wimbledon champion Roger Federer will lead a four-man Swiss squad for next week's Davis Cup World Group first round tie with Romania, the Swiss Tennis Federation announced in Geneva on Thursday.[MORE]
Tour de France chief calls for WADA bans
Tour de France director Patrice Clerc has called on cycling's governing body to implement the World Anti Doping Agency policy of two-year bans for drugs cheats immediately.[MORE]
Drugs could become a problem in golf, warns Price
Former world number one Nick Price has warned that the emphasis on strength in golf could lead to the use of performance-enhancing drugs among younger players.[MORE]
Indonesia orders mass bird flu cull
Indonesia on Thursday ordered the immediate killing of all poultry infected with bird flu as it started to fall in line with other Asian nations following pressure from the World Health Organisation (WHO). [MORE]
Ferguson record unrivalled in British soccer
Alex Ferguson is the most successful coach in British soccer history and, since arriving at Old Trafford in 1986, has guided Manchester United to eight league titles and a European Cup triumph in 1999.[MORE]
Twin attacks kill one, injure 10 in Iraq
At least one Iraqi civil defence officer has been killed and 10 people injured in two separate attacks against paramilitary forces in Iraq. [MORE]
Costello claims Labor will raise taxes and rates
Federal Treasurer Peter Costello claims Labor has a secret plan to raise taxes, run a budget deficit and increase interest rates. [MORE]
Zimbabwe passes bill to make farm seizures easier
Zimbabwe's ruling ZANU-PF party has pushed controversial land law amendments through Parliament making it easier to seize white-owned farms for blacks, the official Herald newspaper reported on Thursday. [MORE]
Indian zoo to sterilise rare Royal Bengal tigers
Even as global tiger populations decline, some Indian zookeepers are implementing population control methods among the rare animals which they say are aimed at preserving the gene pool and preventing inbreeding. [MORE]
Sleeping campers lucky to escape croc attack
A couple involved in a crocodile attack on the banks of an isolated river in the Kimberley say they cannot believe they survived the ordeal unscathed[MORE]
Tas flood waters refuse to subside
Police say some residents in Tasmania's north-east may remain isolated by floods until late tomorrow.[MORE]
Bacon gives Crean time to make up his mind
Tasmanian Premier Jim Bacon says it is up to the Treasurer David Crean to reveal whether he will stay in state politics.[MORE]
Labor offers ABC independence and funds
The Federal Labor Party has promised to end political interference in the ABC if elected to government by reforming how the Board is appointed.[MORE]
Safin shocks Agassi to claim final berth
Unseeded Russian Marat Safin produced the upset of the tournament to dump defending champion Andre Agassi out of the semi-final of the Australian Open at the Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne on Thursday night.[MORE]
Battling Safin claims first set
Unseeded Russian Marat Safin has claimed the first set of his Australian Open semi-final against defending champion and fourth seed Andre Agassi in Melbourne this evening.[MORE]
Flash flood wreaks havoc in Melbourne
Emergency crews in Melbourne have been inundated with calls for help from residents in the city's inner east after homes were flooded by a freak storm.[MORE]
IAEA investigates planned Woomera nuclear dump
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has demanded further evidence to demonstrate the planned nuclear dump at Woomera will be safe.[MORE]
Firman pushes claim to Jordan drive
Briton Ralph Firman has revived his hopes of being kept on by Jordan this season after Dutch driver Jos Verstappen failed to reach a deal with the Formula One team.[MORE]
