AP - Switzerland can hand over bank documents to British authorities investigating whether arms manufacturer BAE Systems PLC bribed Czech politicians to gain a lucrative contract for the sale of fighter jets, the Federal Criminal Court said Monday.

US helicopters of the International Security Assistance Force,  arrive in  Badghis province, Afghanistan, Sunday, Nov. 30, 2008. Taliban insurgents killed 13 Afghan troops in an ambush of their convoy in northwestern Afghanistan, while NATO-led troops fired on insurgents inside Pakistan, officials said Friday. More than 300 militants attacked the Afghan forces' convoy, which was transporting 47 vehicles for their units in Bala Murghab district of Badghis province late Thursday, said Naeem Khan, a border police official. (AP Photo/Rahmat Gul)AP - Only one American serviceman died in Afghanistan in November, a dramatic drop from earlier months that the U.S. military attributed to a campaign targeting insurgent leaders, an improvement in Afghan security forces and the onset of winter.


This television frame grab shows Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari in Islamabad, teleconferencing to an audience in New Delhi on November 22. Zardari said he was in favour of a no-first-use policy on nuclear weapons, a stance already announced by neighbouring India.(AFP/HO)AP - The terrorists who attacked India's financial capital had no links to any government, Pakistan's president said Monday amid claims that at least one of the gunmen belonged to a banned Pakistani militant group.


A couple holding hands at sunset. People may be tightening their belts to cope with the credit crunch, but their favourite free leisure activity involves whipping off their undies for a quick roll in the hay, a new poll has found.(AFP/File/Filippo Monteforte)AFP - People may be tightening their belts to cope with the credit crunch, but their favourite free leisure activity involves whipping off their undies for a quick roll in the hay, a new poll showed on Monday.


Era ends: Deasy's Electrical and Furniture has been sold to retail giant Harvey Norman for an undisclosed sum and will become a Joyce Mayne store this Friday.
Six members of the University of the Sunshine Coast teaching team were inducted into the University’s “Wall of Fame”, which celebrates contributions to education.

Maccas knocked back

A full council general committee yesterday unanimously voted recommending against a 24-hour McDonald’s at Minyama on the grounds of local community safety.
Speaking from the safety of home, Kawana Island man Mr Clemmett relived the 46 hours he spent barricaded by terrorists in his hotel room with his wife Vinka.
Virgin Blue, Tourism Noosa and the Sunshine Coast Airport ave launched a new multi-media tourism campaign targetting travellers from Melbourne and Sydney.
Nambour Christian College have heeded upgraded travel warnings and cancelled a humanitarian-focussed school trip to Thailand scheduled for tomorrow.