Alistair Darling is set to ask bankers to crack down immediately on bonuses in a key speech to Labour's conference.

The chancellor is to bring in new laws in the autumn but will say to bankers that there is no need to wait for legislation and they should act now.

Labour is using its week in Brighton to launch a fight back against the Tories, claiming it is now the "underdog".

But there was controversy on the first day as the prime minister was quizzed on his health on the BBC's Marr show.

Seven primary schools in New South Wales are offering to participate in the pilot of an ethics course

as an alternative to religion classes.

The Education Act prohibits non-scripture students being taught while others receive religious instruction.

It reflects a 19th Century deal between the New South Wales government and churches.

Scripture opt-out rates can be as high as 50 or 80 per cent.

blasted by sonic cannon

picture by Gus

A lot could be said about the recent dust storms in Sydney, in regard the weather being slightly out of whack for whatever reason.

A week ago Sydneysiders enjoyed their third series of sunny days in the low 30 degrees C (89-90 F). Then the weather cooled off. A big electric storm one night was followed the next morning (September 23rd) by a massive red dust storm that had passed over by around midday. The roll of dust, as seen on satellite pictures, was more 2000 kilometres long, as it passed through Brisbane and further north, as well as way south of Sydney.

Three days later another lesser dust storm passed over the city and by 9 o'clock it had all gone.

From the New York Times

PARIS — A bitter political trial became even more so on Thursday after President Nicolas Sarkozy, a plaintiff in the case, called those on trial “guilty parties.”

Prominent among those in the dock is Mr. Sarkozy’s political rival Dominique de Villepin, a former prime minister who is accused with four others of planning a smear campaign in 2003-4 intended to undermine Mr. Sarkozy’s presidential ambitions.

Venezuela's president has urged leaders from Africa and South America to help form a "multipolar" world to counter Western economic dominance.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling has warned bankers that the party is over and they must realise the world has changed.

He made the comments in a BBC interview before leaving for the G20 summit.

He wants a limit on bonuses, and rules to allow banks to get them back if bankers make losses later.

But he said there was a limit to how much could be achieved by regulation, and bankers needed to realise that they had to change their behaviour.

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Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has brushed aside Nationals Senate leader Barnaby Joyce's calls for his salary to be tripled to $1 million.

Yesterday the Government accepted a remuneration tribunal recommendation to give federal politicians a 3 per cent pay rise.

The Greens say it should be rejected because lowest paid workers are not getting an increase.

But Senator Joyce says politicians should be paid as much as business leaders.

From Chris floyd, read more of Chris Floyd...

It is all too easy to get dazzled by the facades of high politics and state policy, to be taken up with tactics, metrics, movements, trends, with ideologies and philosophies, as if the life of the world was actually conducted on this elevated plane.

from the ABC

From the ABC

The Federal Government has issued an ultimatum to the Opposition in a bid to break the deadlock over its stalled emissions trading legislation.

Climate Change Minister Penny Wong has written to Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull from the United States, setting out a timetable for negotiations over the scheme.

The increased pressure on the Opposition comes as Prime Minister Kevin Rudd overnight played a leading role at the United Nations leaders forum on climate change.

September 20, 2009

Article from:  Australian Associated Press

The US has no "grand expectations" from the summit of Israeli and Palestinian leaders which President Obama is to host on Tuesday, the White House says.

The talks in New York are to discuss the possibility of re-starting the Middle East peace process.

But both Israeli and Palestinian leaders have accused each other of blocking the initiative.

Israel has rejected US and Palestinian demands for a total freeze before a new round of talks can take place.