The trial of four Rio Tinto employees will last three days with part of the proceedings closed to the public, a Chinese court said Thursday. Australian passport holder Stern Hu and three Chinese employees of the Anglo-Australian mining giant will go on trial at 8:30 am (0030 GMT) Monday at the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court, the ...

Australia's Prime Minister Kevin Rudd Thursday warned China that the "world will be watching" next week's trial of a Rio Tinto mining executive, as officials urged Beijing to let them attend. Rudd's comments are likely to increase pressure on China over the highly sensitive trial of Stern Hu and three Chinese colleagues, which will take place largely ...

Australia's iconic dingo may be the world's oldest breed of dog, according a major new DNA study that is likely to boost conservation efforts. The international study has found the dingo and its close relation, the rare New Guinea singing dog, bear the closest genetic similarity to wolves of all breeds tested. The research, published in science journal ...

Excerpts from recent editorials in newspapers in the United States and abroad: March 15 Loveland (Colo.) Daily Reporter-Herald on why change in credit rules is a positive step: There's a justice in overdraft protection fees: Those who are careless in their spending pay penalties that support banking services for the rest of the population, services such as free checking ...