RALSTON, Iowa — Piglets hop, scurry and squeal their way to the far corner of the pen, eyeing an approaching human. “It shows that they’re healthy animals,” Craig Rowles, the owner of a large pork farm here, said with pride.

Mr. Rowles says he keeps his pigs fit by feeding them antibiotics for weeks after weaning, to ward off possible illness in that vulnerable period. And for months after that, he administers an antibiotic that promotes faster growth with less feed.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says he hopes the appointment of Malcolm Turnbull as communications spokesman will help convince key independent MPs to dump Labor and switch sides.

Mr Abbott is foreshadowing his tactics for the coming months after yesterday revealing a frontbench line-up which he described as "hungry" to hold the minority Government to account.

He has flagged the Government's broadband policy - one of the areas crucial in swinging at least one independent towards supporting Labor - as a major battleground over the next 18 months.

The Opposition's new communications spokesman, Malcolm Turnbull, has wasted no time in attacking the Federal Government's management of the National Broadband Network (NBN) amid claims of a potential budget blowout.

Earlier today Opposition Leader Tony Abbott ordered Mr Turnbull to "demolish" the NBN as he brought him back to the Coalition frontbench to head up its communications portfolio.

Declaring the NBN would be the "absolute focus" of the political battle of the next 18 months, Mr Abbott said he could think of no better person to "ferociously" hold the Government to account on the issue.

Terrorists' biggest bonus was gained when the US invaded Iraq

September 14, 2010

The pastor of a small US church who planned to burn copies of the Koran on the anniversary of 9/11 has cancelled his protest.

Terry Jones said he was calling off the event after the group behind a planned Islamic centre near Ground Zero in New York agreed to relocate it.

But the cultural centre's organisers said they had no plans to move it.

...

US Defence Secretary Robert Gates had telephoned him to urge him to reconsider his plans. The pastor had also been visited several times by the FBI.

After watching Julia's and Tony's speeches on the box, I can say Julia was statesperson-like while Tony was still haggling about his "moral" victory and Julia's government's competency. Tony showed a very junior amateurish, possibly doglike, attitude. Does not Tony read the economic international praise heaped on the Labor government or is he interested only in banging his fists on the door till he gets in???..

Bob Katter has an easy way out of the dilemma about which party to support – neither. Holding his hat over his heart, he can reasonably claim neither mob is worthy of his allegiance.

But – and here's the big but, the Katter flap for him to slip out of the way – in the interests of stable government he will guarantee not to block supply or support any frivolous no-confidence motion whoever's occupying the Treasury benches.

from Ted Mack ..... 

"People forget that these three are probably three of the most experienced Members of Parliament," he said.

"They didn't come down in the last shower and they certainly don't need any advice from me.

"What I suspect that they will do however, I think they will back the Gillard Government."

He [Ted Mack] says it may sound unusual, but it makes sense.

"The point is, if there is a Liberal-National government formed, then that government will do its best to get those three out of office because they think that those seats belong to them.

John Prescott tonight demanded the Metropolitan police reopen its investigation into the News of the World phone-hacking scandal as the Observer revealed that Scotland Yard holds News International documents suggesting that he was a target when deputy prime minister.

Israeli scientists believe they have identified why Arabic is particularly hard to learn to read.

The University of Haifa team say people use both sides of their brain when they begin reading a language - but when learning Arabic this is wasting effort.

The detail of Arabic characters means students should use only the left side of their brain because that side is better at distinguishing detail.

The findings from the study of 40 people are reported in Neuropsychology.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11181457