Ombudsman finds long-term detention linked to self harm

The Commonwealth Ombudsman Colin Neave has expressed concern about the mental health of people being held in detention centres for long periods of time, saying the policies for dealing with them are inadequate.

21 May 2013 | 9:16 pm

Six asylum seekers escape under escort in Darwin

The Department of Immigration says six asylum seekers escaped while under escort in Darwin today, with four still missing.

21 May 2013 | 9:05 pm

Oklahoma wakes to tornado destruction as hunt for survivors continues

A grim day is dawning in Oklahoma City, where residents are waking to the devastation caused by a massive tornado that laid waste to several neighbourhoods and left at least 91 people dead.

Emergency crews worked through the night to find survivors, but the death toll is expected to climb as rescuers comb through smashed homes and the collapsed remains of a school.

Key points

• 3,000 homes were in the tornado's path.
• Hundreds of people are still missing.
• 17 counties declared as disaster areas, with the town of Moore (population 55,000) the worst hit.
• Meteorologists estimated the tornado to be 3.2km wide and say it left a path of destruction of about 77 square km.

21 May 2013 | 9:01 pm

Retrenched BlueScope workers 'ripped off' by Government rescue fund

Retrenched BlueScope workers say a Government rescue fund has failed to deliver on promises to create hundreds of new jobs.

21 May 2013 | 8:11 pm

7yo boy found dead in Sydney home, police investigate

Police are investigating the death of a seven-year-old boy who was found dead at his home in Sydney's south this morning.

21 May 2013 | 7:36 pm

Other militaries guilty of wartime sex slavery, says Japanese politician

A Japanese politician says soldiers from Britain, the United States and France are also guilty of wartime sex-abuse.

21 May 2013 | 7:32 pm

Losses in industrial and retail stocks drag share market lower

The share market has closed lower, with the biggest losses in industrial and retail stocks.

21 May 2013 | 7:17 pm

Indian Supreme Court rejects petition seeking to scrap IPL amid corruption concerns

India's Supreme Court has rejected a case from a cricket fan seeking to scrap the remaining matches of the IPL.

21 May 2013 | 7:12 pm

No plans by Cricket Australia to curb player social media use after David Warner Twitter rant

Cricket Australia has no immediate plans to curb players' social media use after a Twitter rant by David Warner.

21 May 2013 | 6:02 pm

NSW Premier backs childcare centres' right to exclude unvaccinated children

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell gives in-principle support to an Opposition plan to allow childcare centres to ban unvaccinated children.

The change is being proposed to encourage parents to vaccinate their children and prevent the spread of preventable diseases.

Mr O'Farrell says Cabinet agrees childcare operators should have the right to refuse entry to children who have not received their jabs.

21 May 2013 | 5:33 pm