Wallabies need to lift or perish, warns Deans

DUBLIN: Wallabies coach Robbie Deans has put his players on notice that if they think how they played against England last weekend will be good enough to win the second leg of the grand slam against Ireland on Sunday, they are heading for a thrashing.

Sea-level building policy riles developers

PROPERTY groups have criticised a planning policy aimed at limiting development in coastal regions, raising fears it has the potential to prevent construction in huge areas. As the Planning Minister, Kristina Keneally, defended the draft policy to stop development in areas subject to sea-level rises, developers said it went too far and could unfairly restrict the right to build in many areas.

Serena sarcastic about No.2

HAVING overcome her sister Venus with a powerful barrage on the court, three-time Wimbledon champion Serena Williams unleashed a vitriolic attack on the sport's rankings system and the incumbent No.1 Dinara Safina.

Adopting A New Family Way

The culturally blended family is becoming more prominent as couples look overseas to adopt, writes Allyson Horn.

Sometimes, Splitting Up Can Be For The Best

With a decline in the numbers of students staying on to Year 12, one academic thinks the school system is to blame and suggests adopting a senior college model, writes KATELIN McINERNEY.

Expert Calls For Advert Ban On Booze

ADOPTING an anti-drinking campaign that mirrors the successful anti-smoking program will help curb excessive drinking among young adults, an expert told a binge drinking forum in Melbourne last night.

Sacred Sites

Our botanic gardens reflect the way things were horticulturally, but many are now adopting a modernist view of the plant world, writes Melanie Kinsey.

Cabinet May Eye Fuelwatch's Fate

THE Government will look at "sensible" suggestions from senators to try to save the controversial FuelWatch scheme, but it could decide to cut its losses by adopting a take-it-or-leave-it attitude.

We Are Family

Adopting children should be a right, not a trauma, says film star Deborra-lee Furness, who has been fighting for less red tape. CHRISTINE SAMS writes.

Songman's Search A Gentle Ride On The Peace Train

YUSUF ISLAM: A FEW GOOD SONGS 8.30pm, ABC: Cat Stevens wrote quite a few good songs and pursued a very individual sense of rhythm that helped make his lyrics distinct and engaging. Matthew & Son, Peace Train, Where Do The Children Play, First Cut Is The Deepest, and Wild World spring readily to mind after 30 years. Morning Has Broken and Moonshadow were good, too. Stevens was a headline act in the '60s and '70s but gave it all away in 1979, changing his name, adopting the Muslim faith and ...

Kingston Heath Tradition Makes Way For Tv Needs

KINGSTON Heath, one of the world's great golf courses, is adopting a new face for this week's Women's Australian Open.

An Honorable Way Out Of The Whaling Debacle

The Australian Government is in a dilemma over enforcing its policy against commercial whaling, which may explain why its chartered patrol vessel Oceanic Viking is adopting a low profile in the dispute between two privately-owned vessels. The brinksmanship displayed by the owners of these two vessels in Australian Antarctic Territory waters should not obscure the fact that this is essentially a dispute between the Japanese and Australian governments.

Topics Today

Today's fact Stalking, surprise and adopting habits of the intended prey are all considered sportsmanlike tactics for hunting wild game.

Nations To Be Paid To Stave Off Logging

COUNTRIES will be paid to protect forests from logging, with the Bali conference adopting a proposal for the successor to the Kyoto Protocol to embrace deforestation.

Cia Does It Again - Badly

THE US Central Intelligence Agency is again mired in controversy. It admitted last week that it had destroyed videotapes of what it calls aggressive interrogations - and human rights advocates call torture - of terrorism suspects. Now, the spy organisation is adopting diversionary tactics, by seeking to portray its congressional critics as accessories after the fact. A leaked story alleges that legislators, including the present Democrat Speaker of the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, were ...

Alp Power Struggle

A MAJORITY of the Illawarra's state Labor MPs were adopting a wait-and-see stance yesterday ahead of today's controversial meeting of the Cabinet and caucus called to discuss the privatisation of the electricity industry.

The Chandon Turf Club Lunch Moncur Terrace, Woollahra Hotel

hit The Chandon Turf Club chose hot new venue Moncur Terrace at the Woollahra Hotel to host its Melbourne Cup function. Adopting the theme, Rose{aac} at the Races, guests were encouraged to think pink when choosing their outfits.

Doing It Tough An Illusion For Many

THE expectation that the Reserve Bank will increase interest rates tomorrow morning will be cited as another telling example of how clever Kevin Rudd has been in adopting his "kitchen table economics" strategy.

Fpv Heads Off-track

FORD Performance Vehicles is planning to accelerate sales in the next three years by adopting Porsche's strategy: it is expected to unveil a hot Territory at the Sydney motor show.

Reputation Spreads As Cool Cats Belt Out A Tune

THE Hunter is fast becoming a mecca for music film clips, with several well-known artists adopting the region as a backdrop for their latest singles.