Israeli troops turned heavy firepower on rocket squads bombarding southern Israel Saturday, killing 54 Palestinians in the deadliest day in Gaza since the current round of fighting erupted in 2000.  

Two Israeli soldiers were killed and seven were wounded in the clashes, the military said.  

Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated his handpicked successor Dmitry Medvedev on his projected presidential poll victory, at a rock concert on Red Square. 

"I congratulate (Medvedev) and wish him success," Putin said, standing beside Medvedev in front of a cheering crowd under the pouring rain. 

Gus: Turnbull 'saved' $40 million …..

Malcolm Turnbull says the $10 million grant was only one fifth of what was requested for the trail. (AAP: Mark Graham). 

The Federal Government says Shadow Treasurer Malcolm Turnbull has some explaining to do over an generous grant he made at the start of last years election campaign.

Bush has bankrupted America... financially and morally. And he seems proud of it... 

Gates said he sympathised with the Turks’ concern about cross-border raids by Kurdish rebels ….. 

Gates warns Turkey not to invade Iraq - USATODAY.com 

For the first time in the nation’s history, more than one in 100 American adults is behind bars, according to a new report. 

Nationwide, the prison population grew by 25,000 last year, bringing it to almost 1.6 million. Another 723,000 people are in local jails.

To cancel one high-level Franco-German meeting is unfortunate.

To cancel two in less than a week implies a bank of freezing fog is descending over the Rhine. 

Ben S. Bernanke, chairman of the Federal Reserve, signaled his readiness on Wednesday to bolster the economy with cheaper money even though inflation is picking up speed....

Opposition defence spokesman Nick Minchin has launched a stinging attack on Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon, over a review into the Defence Department's Super Hornet contract. 

More than a quarter of adult Americans have left the faith of their childhood to join another religion or no religion, according to a survey of religious affiliation by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. 

Some leading businesswomen have expressed disappointment at the lack of female representation on the steering committee for the Federal Government's 2020 summit. 

Actress Cate Blanchett is the only woman named as part of the Government-appointed 10-member panel that will choose people to attend the summit in April. 

The Rudd Government has commissioned a defence white paper which could see a dramatic change in strategic priorities or at least in the way defence dollars are spent.

Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon is also reviewing whether to proceed with a $6 billion plus contract for a fleet of new Super Hornet fighter jet aircraft from the United States.  

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been caught on camera swearing at a member of the crowd at the annual farming fair in Paris. 

Ralph Nader says he will run again as an independent for the US presidency. The anti-establishment consumer advocate made the announcement in a televised interview on Sunday. 

Mr Nader was accused by many Democrats of handing the presidency to George W Bush in the November 2000 elections. He ran again unsuccessfully in 2004. 

The Federal Opposition says Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is putting the bipartisan approach to Indigenous affairs at risk by making his first visit to an Aboriginal community today without Brendan Nelson. 

Mr Rudd and Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin are looking at Aboriginal housing in Walgett in western New South Wales.