Australia/Antarctica News

SYDNEY, Australia - An Australian woman has been sentenced to life in prison for the starvation death of her 7-year-old daughter. Full Story »

SYDNEY (AFP) - A blast on a people-smuggling boat that killed five asylum seekers off north-west Australia earlier this year was caused by arson, police said Thursday. Full Story »

SIUMU, Samoa (Reuters) - Rescuers fished bloated corpses from the South Pacific off Samoa and pulled bodies from the mud and twisted rubble of devastated islands as the death toll from a series of tsunamis neared 200 on Thursday. Full Story »

APIA, Samoa - Police in green reflective vests searched a ghastly landscape of mud-strewn streets, pulverized homes and bodies scattered in a swamp Wednesday as dazed survivors emerged from the muck and mire of an earthquake and tsunami that killed 119 in the South Pacific. Full Story »

Key facts on the Independent State of Samoa, the U.S. territory of American Samoa and Tonga: Full Story »

KABULWARNAMYO (AFP) - In the heart of a massive new nature reserve in Australia's far north, Aboriginal elder Dean Yibarbuk gazes reverentially at Dreamtime rock paintings created by his ancestors. Full Story »

APIA (AFP) - Dozens of aftershocks rocked the South Pacific Wednesday, 24 hours after a huge earthquake churned up towering tsunamis that killed at least 113 people when they wiped out villages and flattened tourist resorts. Full Story »

APIA (AFP) - The death toll from a massive South Pacific earthquake and tsunami has risen to at least 28, with a minimum of 14 reported dead in both Samoa and American Samoa, the Red Cross and media reports said. Full Story »

APIA (AFP) - At least 14 people were reported killed in American Samoa following the powerful earthquake and tsunami which hit the area early Tuesday, radio KSBS-FM reported. Full Story »

APIA, Samoa - The U.S. Geological Survey says a powerful 7.9-magnitude earthquake has struck in the South Pacific between Samoa and American Samoa. A tsunami alert has been issued for the region. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A tsunami warning was issued for New Zealand and other small Pacific islands after a major 7.9 magnitude quake struck in the ocean off American Samoa, U.S. government agencies said on Tuesday. Full Story »

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck off American Samoa on Tuesday, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Full Story »

CUDLEE CREEK, Australia - The koala, Australia's star symbol, is dying of stress. Full Story »

SYDNEY (AFP) - A group of more than 300 Australian university students grooved their way into the history books Tuesday, setting a new world record for the largest ever robot dance. Full Story »

SYDNEY (AFP) - A 16-year-old Australian girl will resume her record bid to sail solo around the world within days, her spokesman said Tuesday, despite loud calls for her to quit after she crashed on a test voyage. Full Story »

SYDNEY - A husband and wife were jailed Monday for the manslaughter of their baby, who died after they chose to use homeopathic remedies rather than conventional medicine to treat her severe skin disorder. Full Story »

SYDNEY (AFP) - Australia's central bank chief on Monday said economic stimulus was set to be eased back as the country hits "recovery phase" after shrugging off the worst global economic crisis in decades. Full Story »

CANBERRA (Reuters) - An influx of refugee boats poses a new threat to Labor Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and could divide Australians a year from elections and reignite an immigration row that carried conservatives to victory in 2001. Full Story »