The Editor,

Sydney Morning Herald.                                                                   July 8, 2008.  

‘Pell accused of sex abuse cover-up’, Herald, July 8.  

New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma has accused the Rail, Tram and Bus Union (RTBU) of trying to blackmail the State Government by calling a strike during World Youth Day (WYD). 

The rail union says it is planning to stop work for 24 hours on Thursday next week, when Pope Benedict has several events planned in the CBD. 

After fights over rising costs and falling pilgrim estimates, government and church both need World Youth Day to be a hit, writes Linda Morris. 

In the autumn of 2003, a high-ranking Vatican official visited Sydney for a week. He was Cardinal James Stafford, a member of John Paul II's inner circle and a mate of the Sydney Archbishop, Cardinal George Pell.

The sex industry is expected to be blessed with an increase in customers thanks to the most unlikely of sources - World Youth Day. 

US President George W Bush will attend the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics, the White House says. 

Spokeswoman Dana Perino said Mr Bush will also visit South Korea and Thailand as part of the trip. 

After Senator Barack Obama said Thursday that he might “refine” his Iraq policies after meeting with military commanders there later this summer, he hastily held a second news conference to emphasize that he remains committed to his central proposal for withdrawing all combat troops from Iraq within 16 months of taking office. 

As these anecdotes illustrate, Downer never learnt the lesson of his tenure as a failed leader of the opposition. His leadership of the Liberal Party was already in strife but it was his ill-judged joke about domestic violence - "the things that batter," Downer chortled - that brought his term to a rapid end.  

Police have told organisations planning to campaign during World Youth Day events they need to have placards, banners and T-shirts pre-approved or risk losing their protest "rights" - even those groups representing victims of sexual abuse by Catholic priests. 

Oil climbs peak, economies plumb depressions and the future will not imitate the past

To maintain any modicum of modern life, countries and individuals will increasingly turn to electricity generated from renewable sources. There is no way to dramatically increase the world’s oil production, now or in some dreamy future. All the major fossil fuels will be in declining supply by 2025 or sooner if we ramp up use of coal or natural gas to replace crude oil. 

The country's crumbling infrastructure might require an urgent overhaul, rampant corruption might need to be stamped out, and runaway prices might demand taming, but Russia's most pressing task, some observers say, lies in a completely different area. 

Shadow Home Secretary Dominic Grieve heads a list of Tory MPs with sizeable shareholdings in companies accused of propping up Robert Mugabe's regime, The Independent on Sunday can reveal today. 

Prime Minister Gordon Brown calls for 'new deal' to solve oil crisis

The Prime Minister has unveiled a four-point plan, which would see leading oil markets – including China and India as well as the Middle East – functioning better to reduce volatility and renew efforts to make the most of the world's remaining reserves.

Obama supports supreme court reversal of gun ban

· Candidate's stance at odds with former position

· Democrat backs death penalty for child rapist

Barack Obama intensified his campaign to appeal to voters on the life-and-death issues of the American heartland yesterday by stepping away from his past support for gun control. 

Meanwhile in the Deep Blue Sea - too tainted of red blood from the dead:

'What about reasoning with them?' said one whale.

'Humans do not listen to reason, they're addicted to greed!' said another.

'Pity we don't have nukular weapons!' joked a sea cow.

In the world of advertising there could be a few nervous souls. McCain may or may not do it again... If you see my drift. The next presidential fight is about to start. Old John versus youth-ish Barack.