Police say they have searched the London offices of Rupert Murdoch's News International and arrested four people, including a policeman, in an investigation into suspected payments to police officers for information.

England collapsed to a 72-run defeat in the second Test against Pakistan, after falling to 72 all out and giving up an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.

As a new school year begins, more than 50,000 Australian children will be home-schooled and in most cases, their parents are doing it illegally.

Indonesia has revoked a gold mining exploration permit granted to an Australian miner following a series of violent protests against the project left two dead last month, reports said.

Victoria Azarenka has beaten Maria Sharapova in the women's singles final at the Australian Open to claim the world number one spot.

France will pull its forces out of Afghanistan a year earlier than planned, a week after the killing of four French servicemen by a renegade Afghan soldier.

Gale-force winds could lash the West Australian Pilbara coast tonight as a tropical cyclone continues to move towards shore.

There has been a downgrade in the amount of rain forecast to fall over western and south-east Queensland this weekend, easing fears of a repeat of record falls recorded in the past 24 hours.

Luke Saville joined esteemed company when he won the Australian Open boys' title, and not just by collecting the trophy from Ken Rosewall.

Police have confirmed a woman has been found dead at the home of Perth businessman Alan Bond.

Police are interviewing officers who dropped off a homeless man in central Melbourne shortly before he was murdered this morning.

There is no hope of finding survivors from the three high-rise buildings that collapsed in central Rio, authorities say.

Australia completes a 4-0 series victory over India with a 299-run win on day five at the Adelaide Oval.

Ironman Novak Djokovic must recover from a near five-hour epic for another brutal test against world number two Rafael Nadal in Sunday's Australian Open final.

Aboriginal activists says a union boss passed on information about Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's whereabouts, leading to a rowdy protest on Australia Day.

Follow Grandstand's live coverage of the fifth day of the fourth Test between Australia and India at the Adelaide Oval.

A woman whose husband is wanted in New South Wales over the sexual assault of a girl has been charged with hindering the police investigation.

Police are investigating whether guns seized overnight in Sydney's west are connected with the recent spate of shootings in the city.

Three letters by Albert Einstein to an group which campaigned against the Nazis in Germany in the 1930s will go on the auction block next week.

Spain's unemployment figure has topped 5 million, the highest rate for 17 years.

England collapsed to a 72-run defeat in the second Test against Pakistan, after falling to 72 all out and giving up an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-Test series.

World champion Anna Meares cut an imposing figure as she dominated the sprint on a dramatic night at the Australian track cycling championships.

Perth Wildcats eased to victory over Townsville Crocodiles winning 87-55 on Saturday night at Challenge Stadium.

Leander Paes and Radek Stepanek denied the Bryan brothers a record 12th men's grand slam doubles title on Saturday as they beat the American top seeds in straight sets in the Australian Open final.

A blistering innings from Moises Henriques led the Sydney Sixers to a seven-wicket victory over the Perth Scorchers in the 2012 Big Bash League final.

Windy conditions made it tough going for Australian athletes gearing up their Olympic campaigns at the Adelaide Track Classic on Saturday night.

The Newcastle Jets snatched a surprise 1-0 win over the Roar in a rain-soaked A-League encounter in Brisbane.

Victoria Azarenka has beaten Maria Sharapova in the women's singles final at the Australian Open to claim the world number one spot.

An understrength South Sydney went down 34-28 to the Warrington Wolves in their opening trial match of the 2012 NRL season at Redfern Oval on Saturday.

Adelaide teenager Luke Saville has won his second junior grand slam title, taking out the Australian Open boys' final.

New Zealand teenage sensation Lydia Ko produced some of the best golf of her young career on Saturday, posting an eight-under-par 64 to head the field at the women's NSW Open.

Michael Clarke, while delighting in the 4-0 whitewash of India, re-emphasised the triumph was just a staging post to the goal of being the best Test team in the world.

Table-toppers Canberra United proved too strong for Brisbane Roar in the W-League Grand Final, winning 3-2 in a thriller in Canberra.

New Zealand highlighted the gulf in international cricket when they bowled Zimbabwe out twice on Saturday to win the Test match at McLean Park in Napier by an innings and 301 runs.

India has denied reports veteran batsman Rahul Dravid will retire following his team's 4-0 whitewash by Australia.

Australia completed a 4-0 series victory over India with a 299-run win on day five at the Adelaide Oval.

Ironman Novak Djokovic must recover from a near five-hour epic for another brutal test against world number two Rafael Nadal in Sunday's Australian Open final.

Australia completed a 4-0 series victory over India with a 299-run win on day five at the Adelaide Oval.

One of South Africa's existing teams in the Super Rugby competition faces the axe after the Southern Kings secured a place in the tournament from 2013.

Harry Redknapp took his place on the Tottenham bench as his Premier League side squeezed past Watford 1-0 to advance to the last 16 of the FA Cup.