The latest news stories updated from our NEWS.com.au network
North Korea tells US 'stop war-mongering'
7:36pm NORTH Korea kept up its tough rhetoric today warning the United States not to incite war against it, but avoided any response to U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's remarks over the leadership issue in Pyongyang.
Bomb damages oil tanker, kills one
7:10pm ONE person was killed and two wounded in northwest Pakistan on Saturday when a bomb exploded near a fuel tanker destined for NATO forces in Afghanistan, an official said.
Man dies after showground attack
6:15pm DETECTIVES have interviewed numerous witnesses over the death of 21-year-old Jamie Purdon following a fight at Maitland Showground in the NSW Hunter Valley.
Violence at Israel-Lebanon border
6:09pm ISRAEL has fired three rockets on south Lebanon, the Lebanese army said, in a tit-for-tat exchange after a rocket slammed into Israeli territory.
US, China's climate change co-operation
6:00pm THE United States and China put differences over human rights aside and pledged here Saturday to work more closely in tackling the global economic crisis and climate change.
Midwives to receive more authority - Roxon
5:16pm A REVAMP of the nation's maternity system, including giving midwives more authority, is expected to be implemented within months.
NASA delays shuttle flight again
4:50pm NASA has delayed its first space shuttle launch of the year for a fourth time after failing to resolve concerns about a potential problem with fuel pressurization valves.
Tighter security ordered in Victoria
3:47pm
- Victoria coroner orders tighter security
- More human remains found
- More on the Victoria fires
Beckham, Connery in bogus sex drug ad
3:18pm SOCCER star David Beckham and actors Sean Connery and Keanu Reeves are being illicitly used to promote a sex drug in an advert being shown on TV stations around China.
Overhaul mental health system - Rau family
3:03pm THE family of Cornelia Rau has called for an overhaul of the mental health system, after the South Australian resident was imprisoned in a Jordanian jail for behaving erratically in public.
Thai-jailed author back in Australia
2:25pm AFTER receiving a royal pardon from a Thai jail, author Harry Nicolaides is back on Australian soil - and thankful for it.
Michael Jackson set for comeback
2:05pm POP megastar Michael Jackson is in advanced talks for a series of up to 30 live shows at London's O2 Arena this summer, British newspapers have reported.
'Slumdog' child stars to attend Oscars
1:18pm THE "Slumdog Millionaire" child actors from the slums of Mumbai will join hundreds of movie stars on the red carpet at tomorrow's Oscar ceremony, the studio behind the film said.
2kg of heroin waiting at post office
12:21pm A MAN has been arrested at an inner-Sydney post office after allegedly picking up a parcel containing two kilograms of heroin, with a street value of $2.1 million.
Cornelia Rau 'in jail in Jordan'
11:23am AUSTRALIAN consular officials in Jordan have met with a South Australian woman, believed to be Cornelia Rau, who was detained by local authorities on Wednesday.
Stanford customers' accounts frozen
10:43am STANFORD Financial Group's customer accounts are frozen until legal claims can be sorted out, and customers can't cash out their holdings at this time, the company's federally-appointed receiver said.
Author freed from Thai jail
9:54am AUSTRALIAN author Harry Nicolaides, who was jailed for criticising Thailand's royal family in a book, has been pardoned and is on his way home.
Wall St tanks on banking rumours
8:52am US stocks plunged on rumours of bank nationalisations, a day after falling to six-year lows.
Let midwives do more, review urges
8:21am MIDWIVES would be able to provide taxpayer-subsidised drugs and care under recommendations made to the Federal Government by its chief nurse.
Two killed in blast, air raid on capital
7:46am TAMIL Tiger rebels carried out a possible suicide attack and bombed Sri Lanka's main tax office in the capital Colombo, military officials said.