AUSTRALIA

The El Nino climate cycle brings not only high temperatures and dry weather, but also possibly civil wars, a new study claims.Between 1950 and 2004, the risk of civil wars doubled in 90 tropical countries when bit by El Nino every three to seven years, according to a study published in Wednesday's Nature.

While mosquitoes are known to spread the tropical decease of Dengue Fever with their pinching bites, a new study has found that bacteria infected mosquitoes reduce the risk of transmitted the disease to humans.

Australia-based Allied Gold Mining plc said Wednesday it is not concerned about possible changes to legislation in Papua New Guinea regarding resource extraction.

BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc delivered a record second-half profit on Wednesday, driven by soaring prices for iron ore, allowing it to award a dividend hike on top of its hefty expansion plans.

Flash mobs are becoming an increasingly terrifying phenomenon in many American cities. But they have been used as a tool of political protest for a decade, and text messaging and social media have helped people communicate in many significant instances.

Here is a brief rundown of important events around the world Wednesday morning, August 24, 2011.

BHP Billiton delivered a record second-half profit driven largely by soaring prices for iron ore, allowing it to award investors a big hike in dividends on top of its hefty expansion plans.

Mandatory anti-smoking warnings on U.S. cigarette packs are being challenged, this time by researchers who say the combination of grotesque images and explicit messages may not be effective in curbing smoking.

A tax rebate on natural gas imports may accelerate China's purchases of liquefied natural gas, but only marginally given high prices for spot supplies and the nation's policy of using long-term contracts.

China's factory sector is likely to slow slightly for a second consecutive month in August as sluggish overseas demand saps new orders, HSBC's China Flash PMI showed on Tuesday.

Researchers have discovered what they believe is the oldest fossil on Earth, 3.4 billion years old.

Here is a brief rundown of important events around the world Tuesday morning, August 23, 2011.

Australia and New Zealand Banking Group's China unit has received regulatory approval to trade gold futures on the Shanghai Futures Exchange, it said on Tuesday, becoming the second foreign bank allowed access to the country's gold futures market.

Australian brewer Foster's Group put pressure on SABMiller to raise its $10 billion hostile takeover offer on Tuesday, unveiling a A$500 million ($521 million) capital return to shareholders.

Australian brewer Foster's Group sought to put pressure on SABMiller to up its $10 billion hostile takeover offer, unveiling on Tuesday a A$500 million ($521 million) capital return even as profits slid.

China's factory sector is likely to slow slightly for a second consecutive month in August as sluggish overseas demand saps new orders, HSBC's China Flash PMI indicated Tuesday.

A group of 35 Michael Jackson fan clubs have joined forces to lobby for the cancellation of a Michael Jackson tribute concert, saying the October event is doomed to fail.

Spot gold soared to an all-time high above $1,910 on Tuesday, on course for its biggest monthly rise in 29 years, as persistent worries about global economic growth burnished bullion's safe-haven appeal.

Tiger Woods said on Monday he was considering playing in a PGA Tour Fall Series event later this year in a bid to justify his selection for the Presidents Cup team competition in November.

Hewlet-Packard, commonly known as HP, announced Thursday that it would stop selling its recently launched TouchPad tablet as well as all WebOS-based smartphones, such as the Palm Pre 2, HP Veer, and the upcoming Palm Pre 3.

An Australian research team has said the universe is forming fewer stars than it did over 8 billion years ago because galaxies are running out of molecular hydrogen.