Individuals and companies have strayed too far from recognising the importance of human relationships.

US President Barack Obama's administration has rejected Republican calls to fire the ambassador to Belgium after he suggested that Israeli actions against Palestinians, including settlement building and military strikes, were partly to blame for anti-Semitism in Europe.

Ambassador Howard Gutman, who is Jewish and the son of a Holocaust survivor, said in a speech that a new type of anti-Semitism had emerged in Europe that was not "classic bigotry" but instead linked to "continuing tensions" between Israel and the Palestinian territories and other Arab neighbours.

One of Britain's largest lobbying companies has been secretly recorded boasting about its access to the heart of the Government and how it uses the "dark arts" to bury bad coverage and influence public opinion. An undercover investigation by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism, published in The Independent today, has taped senior executives at Bell Pottinger:

Ideas erupt from the mind of Newt Gingrich — bold, unconventional and sometimes troubling and distracting.

On Monday, Mr. Gingrich sought to do damage control on the latest of his Big Thoughts to land him in hot water — helping children bootstrap their way out of poverty by paying them to mop and clean their schools, and rolling back child labor laws that he has called “truly stupid.”

Former Opposition leader Malcolm Turnbull has urged his successor Tony Abbott to support a conscience vote on the issue of same-sex marriage.

The ALP national conference at the weekend changed its platform to one of support for gay marriage, voting for Labor MPs to be allowed a conscience vote on the issue.

Opinion polls reveal the community is in support of same-sex marriage with a Galaxy Research poll released yesterday showing 76 per of Coalition voters back a conscience vote.

Mr Abbott continues to insist the Coalition strongly opposes any change to the Marriage Act, but he has not vetoed a conscience vote.

"If Australia is going to lift the ban on a country which has not signed a non-Nuclear Proliferation Treaty, it is hoped it is also applied to Pakistan the same way."

Currently Pakistan has not made any request for uranium from  Australia yet, but Abdullah said this may change in the future.

A citizens’ jury that will decide what infrastructure projects should be built and how they should be funded will be set up by Infrastructure NSW chairman Nick Greiner in a direct challenge to the cautious path taken by the O'Farrell Government.

Even by today's standards, godless, childless 'Ju-liar' cops more than her fair share.

Even by today's standards, godless, childless 'Ju-liar' cops more than her fair share.

MANY Australians believe politics to be an ideological cesspool. It's little wonder: Labor hasn't represented working people since Bob Hawke held office, and the Liberal Party hasn't espoused liberal values since Malcolm Fraser. Both major parties effectively ceased to exist decades ago.

the little book of no ....

Ethics classes in schools are not safe yet. In a backroom deal between the O'Farrell government and the Christian Democrats, the fate of the classes may lie with a Legislative Council committee weighted with right-wing Christians.

from the Power Index .....

Kos Sclavos is the hot-headed pharmacist from Brisbane who leads the nation's most feared and effective lobby group: the Pharmacy Guild of Australia. His supporters laud him as a "colossus"; his critics accuse him of stifling competition, depriving patients of discounted medicines and putting pharmacists' profits ahead of the community's health.

From Jonathan Holmes

"But to my mind, that interview doesn’t justify the programs.

However much Australian Story may deny it, the fact is it did question the jury’s verdict reached after a seven week trial. As I’ve said before, only compelling new evidence justifies a TV program doing that – and in my view, we didn’t get it."

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Jonathan, Jonathan, Jonathan...

Federal MPs are set for a massive pay rise - taking a backbencher's salary close to $200,000 a year - but will lose some entitlements and have their future ''gold pass'' travel slashed.

The Remuneration Tribunal, which makes binding determinations on salaries for MPs and senior public servants, will announce the results of a rigorous review within weeks, with speculation that the rise for backbenchers could be $50,000. They are currently paid about $140,000.