Southern hemisphere countries that have largely escaped swine flu infections could soon become more vulnerable, experts warn, as the approaching winter brings with it an elevated risk of the virus spreading and mutating.

A pack of mice mauled a bedridden 89-year-old man at an Australian nursing home, shredding parts of his ears and prompting the government Thursday to launch an investigation into the facility.

A jetliner carrying more than 225 people slammed its tail into the runway during takeoff from Australia because someone programmed the wrong weight for the plane into a flight computer, investigators said Thursday.

Lion Nathan Ltd., the Australian brewer of Tooheys and Hahn beers, said Monday its biggest shareholder, Japan’s Kirin Holdings Co., has agreed to buy the 54 percent of Lion it does not already own.

Australian police appealed to the public Friday for help in solving the gruesome killing of a Chinese man who was shot 34 times in the head and neck with a nail gun before being dumped in a river.

Journalists have a lot to be nervous about lately: layoffs, furloughs, newspaper closures. But reporters at an Australian paper may have received the scariest threat of the day when a live shark was left on their doorstep.

Lion Nathan Ltd., the Australian brewer of Tooheys and Hahn beers, said Thursday its biggest shareholder, Japan’s Kirin Holdings Co., has offered to buy the 54 percent of Lion it doesn’t already own.

An American Marine who was beaten up while on shore leave in Australia last year has appealed for witnesses to help police find his attackers.

Global mining giant BHP Billiton on Wednesday reported a sharp drop in quarterly copper production, along with declines in iron ore and aluminum, as demand for minerals falls amid the global economic slump.

Australia’s prime minister pledged Friday to step up efforts to thwart smugglers who set hopeful refugees adrift in rickety boats aimed for Australia, after one vessel exploded at sea and killed three people.