Sydney Morning Herald - smh.com.au

Private land to be seized for housing

The state government is rushing to prepare laws to create a development authority with sweeping powers to compulsorily acquire and rezone privately owned land for resale to developers.

Sydney man clocked at 219km/h in Mercedes: police

Bail denied for teen held over assault This article contains a video that will play automatically.

Record number of homes for sale takes gloss off auction prices

Alleged illegal immigrant accused of laundering $1m

Rudd pledges no batts blowout

The multimillion-dollar cost of fixing the bungled home insulation program will be met by drawing unspent money from the scheme that could otherwise have been used to insulate more homes, the Prime Minister says.

Abbott won't block rival maternity leave plan

Sunscreens could damage your health, researcher warns

Pass the buck: voters call for companies to pay bigger share

Samoan poet sweeps away Australians

Billionaire takes power as aftershocks rock Chile

7:24am The ground shook and buildings swayed as billionaire Sebastian Pinera took over as Chile's president, tasked with rebuilding after a massive earthquake killed hundreds just 12 days ago.

This article contains a video that will play automatically.

CIA accused of poisoning French village with LSD in mind-control tests

Politicians face court over expenses scandal

Holland debates 'tired of living' euthanasia law

Fidel lives - as television fodder for Cubans

RBA shines light on rates gouging

The Reserve Bank has suggested the major banks may be profiteering from their recent round of interest rate increases, arguing moves on lending rates over the past two years have been outpacing funding costs.

need2know Flat leads point to slow start for stocks

Deluge of claims dampens insurers' outlook

Oroton has women and profits in the bag

Kinselas kick-starts Riversdale pubs fund

Elizabeth Knight Telstra gets a break in fight for its future

Malcolm Maiden Even Myer faithful don't know what the plan is

Insider Medicare changes put pressure on Primary

To stop this hogwash, pull trigger

JESSICA IRVINE In Groundhog Day, Bill Murray is a TV weatherman forced to cover the same story about a groundhog emerging from hibernation four years in a row, forced to relive the same unbearable day over and over again. For what seems an eternity, every morning is reset by a bedside clock ticking over from 5.59 to 6, triggering Sonny and Cher's I Got You Babe until an announcer chimes in with: ''That's right woodchuck chuckers, it's Groundhog Day!''

Richard Ackland Have a stickybeak at the Crow-eaters

Paul McGeough Israel keeps stretching the friendship

Elizabeth Farrelly Children have the power

Jacqueline Maley Boffa's biff over trash talking Tony

Sex industry fears .xxx porn 'ghetto'

ASHER MOSES The adult industry is up in arms over a renewed push for a ".xxx" domain name, which they fear would be the first step towards segregating porn sites into a "ghetto".

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• Sex.com auction

Aussie massacre threat shuts US schools

MySpace makeover aims to stall user exodus

It's totally nuts: Conan catapults Twitter followee to stardom This article contains a video that will play automatically.

Video game violence stand-off

Crew, passengers fall ill after mystery smell

ANDREW HEASLEY Flight attendants and half a dozen passengers have fallen ill on a Jetstar flight after a chemical smell wafted through the plane.

Airlines Olympic hockey final forces Air Canada flight delay

India Tourists banned from islands to protect tribe

Thailand Australians warned over travelling to Bangkok

Tips Traveller's nightmare: what to do if you lose your passport

Can Hayne do it again this season?

CHRIS BARRETT It was the best individual try Peter Sterling had seen in 16 years of commentary.

• Dragons quick to sharpen their attacking prowess
• Big Willie fitting the bill as Cowboys saddle up

Cricket With attention back on the field, Ponting's men too good for Kiwis

League Lowy's FFA success spurs vote for commission

Union Waugh still buzzing for cap No.119

A-League FC's former Jet knows how to win the hard way