Queen Elizabeth II renewed her vow to serve the British Empire on Monday as she made a low-key start to five months of Diamond Jubilee celebrations, marking her 60 years on the throne.

The death toll from a powerful 6.8-magnitude earthquake that hit the central Philippines just before noon on Monday has risen to 43 as landslides struck a mountainous area.

The Queensland Government has revealed two senior flood engineers at Seqwater are no longer acting in their roles.

St George locals will today learn whether a makeshift levee will save the southern Queensland town from record floodwaters.

Federal Opposition finance spokesman Andrew Robb says he cannot say if the Coalition would be able to deliver a surplus in its first term of Government.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport has suspended Alberto Contador for two years for a doping offence he committed during the 2010 Tour de France.

The Syrian city of Homs is under siege as the government carries out the heaviest bombardment yet on the opposition stronghold.

The South Korean government says it has written to a dozen Sydney councils asking for any information they might have about Korean nationals who are involved in prostitution at local brothels.

The Federal Government has ordered a company to recall home teeth-whitening kits due to fears they may cause chemical burns.

The jobs market expanded last month according to a private survey, recording the largest rise in nearly two years.

A report into the four-hour rule introduced to overcrowded hospital emergency departments has found that it is saving lives.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says she believes she can win the next Federal election.

Civil libertarians are worried by proposed legislation meaning passengers will not be able to opt out of undergoing full body scans at Australian airports.

A coroner has described the death of a baby after a medical procedure in a Sydney hospital as a "human tragedy".

The NSW Government is in talks with the Royal Australia Navy to free up space in Sydney Harbour for the city's booming cruise ship industry.