Topics
View all topics

Mr Obama stressed there was no American military solution to the larger crisis in Iraq.

Obama vows to continue Iraq strikes 'if necessary'

US president Barack Obama has vowed to continue airstrikes against Islamic State insurgents if needed to protect American diplomats and military advisers in Iraq.
He said US airstrikes had destroyed the arms and equipment of militants in Iraq and warned the "long-term project" could take months.
"I'm not going to give a particular timetable, because as I've said from the start, wherever and whenever US personnel and facilities are threatened, it's my obligation, my responsibility as commander in chief, to make sure they are protected," he said.
Mr Obama said he had also authorised a "humanitarian effort" to help displaced civilians trapped on Mount Sinjar.

US aircraft strike Islamic State positions in Iraq

Sombre mission to Netherlands
Tony Abbott will meet with teams identifying and repatriating the remains of victims from the MH17 tragedy.
'Extremely nasty' shooting
A man and a woman are dead and two others have been injured in a shooting spree in Victoria's north-west.
Farming giant's climate warning
Australian primary producers have been warned to take climate change seriously or risk being uncompetitive.
GST carve-up 'a scandal'
Defence Minister David Johnston says the GST carve-up is a "scandal" robbing WA of "hard-earned" dollars.
Coin points to Chinese contact
An old coin found on an island off the NT coastline may point to early trading between Aboriginal people and China.
Day drops from PGA lead
Jason Day is fourth after three rounds at the PGA Championship, with Rory McIlroy leading three shots ahead.
Russia demands 'urgent' humanitarian action in Ukraine
Man loses part of finger in Sydney dog attack
Israel and militants exchange fire, defying truce efforts

World War One Centenary

Remembering the Red Baron
Scott Bevan visits the grave of the Red Baron and speaks with a relative about Germany's role in the war.
Internment camps in photos
Many of the Germans living in Australia during WWI were detained in three main camps in NSW.
25 facts about WWI
From the existence of the Free State of Bottleneck to female fighter pilots, check out 25 facts about World War I.

How trains, technology and a teenage assassin helped pitch Europe into conflict

Business

RBA warning on jobs
The Reserve Bank has signalled that Australia's jobless rate could remain high for the next two years.
Outsourcing Medicare claims
The Government looks to privatise the processing of Medicare payments to cut the size of the public service.
Malaysia Airlines to be privatised
The troubled airliner will be de-listed and privatised ahead of a restructuring push following its plane disasters.
Weak earnings for News Corp
Growth in digital real estate and book publishing businesses partially offset a sharp fall in newspaper revenues.
Market ends shock week
The Australian share market fell sharply to end its worst trading week in five months.

Analysis & Opinion from The Drum

New world order?
As the US prepares for Iraq air strikes, Ken Fraser says the Islamic State challenges our world order.
Relinquish some liberty
Maybe we should give up a bit of liberty to ensure our collective security, writes Tim Mayfield.
Metadata explainer
Capturing numbers without web addresses would not be workable, writes Mark Pesce.
Move on
Malcolm Turnbull needs to start addressing his own NBN shortcomings, writes David Braue.
OMG, it's a female coach!
It's 2014 and yet there is still shock at seeing a female sports coach. This must change, writes Tracey Holmes.
Antisemites out in force
When a friend said he was "scared to tell people I am Jewish", he had a good reason, writes Glen Falkenstein.
Hackers, costs and plots
We must ensure data retention doesn't make us vulnerable to hackers, writes Matthew Warren.
Homegrown terrorism
Tony Abbott was actually right to link domestic racial hatred to incitement to terrorism, writes Joseph Wakim.

World

Asia Pacific

Aussie Rules goes global
More than 25 teams from around the world are taking part in the AFL International Cup in Melbourne.
Hawaii prepares for second storm
Hawaii has rushed to clean up debris from one tropical storm, with only a day to prepare for the next hurricane on its way.
Typhoon Halong hits Japan
Typhoon Halong as made landfall in western Japan on Sunday, bringing heavy rains and strong winds.
Deadly protests
Violence erupts in Pakistan between police and supporters of anti-government cleric Tahir ul-Qadri.
Fijian talent
The Queensland Reds launch a recruitment drive in Fiji as they look to rebound from a disappointing Super 15 season.

Sport

Day tied for fourth as McIlroy leads PGA Championship
Jason Day is fourth after three rounds at the PGA Championship, with Rory McIlroy leading three shots ahead.
Swans stay in minor premiership hunt
Sydney Swans remained in the hunt for the AFL minor premiership and ensured an uncertain future for Port Adelaide with their 26-point win.

Tigers thumped
The North Queensland Cowboys ran in 12 tries as they helped worsen the Wests Tigers' woes with a 64-6 thrashing in Townsville.
Wallaroos out
Australia will miss the Women's Rugby World Cup semi-finals after losing 17-3 to France in its final group game.
Venus triumphs
Venus Williams booked a spot in the Montreal WTA final by beating sister Serena in three sets in their 25th career meeting.
India collapses
Moeen Ali and James Anderson skittled India's batsmen as England won the fourth Test by an innings and 54 runs.

TV & Video

Video

Peter Sculthorpe dies aged 85
The recipient of local and international acclaim, Mr Sculthorpe's work was shaped by the Australian landscape.
Video

Backyard beekeeping
Self-described "bee fanatic" Doug Purdie talks about the pastime of backyard beekeeping.
Video

The march of ISIS
The march of ISIS has created a humanitarian emergency, with thousands fleeing the fighters.

Explained: Who controls flights over war zones?
Following the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, many people are wondering just how often planes fly over war zones where anti-aircraft weapons are used.
Video

Aboriginal artist takes new look at history
Indigenous artist Michael Cook has transposed Aboriginal faces onto portraits of Australia's prime ministers to imagine a different version of history.

Health

Hot and bothered
Climate change is not just something that happens to the Great Barrier Reef or Pacific Islands. The health of ordinary Australians may suffer as the temperature rises.
Male form
A touring exhibition from the British Museum now showing at the Art Gallery of Bendigo demonstrates just how celebrated the male body was in ancient Greece.
Not just a man's problem
When we think of heart disease we tend to think of older men. Yet heart disease is the biggest killer of women in Australia.

Cough and cold myths

ABC Fact Check

'Set and forget' pensions
The Government wants changes to the disability support pension, including more regular reviews of eligibility.
Repealing section 18C
Keep track of the Government's promise to repeal section 18C of the Racial Discrimination Act.
1 million new jobs
Keep track of the Coalition's commitment to create 1 million new jobs within five years.
Do e-cigarettes help you quit?
E-cigarettes are increasingly popular with smokers and people who are trying to quit smoking. But are they any better for you than conventional cigarettes?

Rural

Farmers react to Russian bans
Australian beef and dairy producers are looking for alternative markets after Russia announced export sanctions. (audio)
Inland wine woes
As wine grape growers count the cost of last season's poor prices, this season won't be much better. (photos)
Desperate for rain
The hot and dry conditions gripping patches of WA makes grain farmers wonder if they'll yield at all this harvest.

Seed companies catching-up as kale popularity grows

Did You Miss?

Australian transitions 1914-2014
Digital montages show Australians of 1914 mingling on streets with their 21st-century counterparts.
What makes a winner?
Fiona Lowry bucked the trend with her winning Archibald portrait. See how it compares to previous winners.
100 years of temperatures
Use our interactive map to explore 100 years of annual average temperatures across Australia.
Before and after
Use our X-ray tool to peer through the surface of these masterpieces and see what lies beneath.