Australia’s national counter-terrorism group met today to discuss the deadly blasts in London, while Canberra set up a hotline for relatives of the hundreds of thousands Australians who live in Britain.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer was to meet leading EU officials today to discuss trade ties and foreign policy issues, including relations with the US, officials said.

The bodies of some victims of the tsunamis that smashed into southern Thailand will never be found, while many others that are recovered could take months to identify, officials said today.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today that US President George Bush appeared on track for a second term, and said Australia’s government could build on its already strong relationship with the Bush administration.

THE international campaign to free abducted Irish aid worker Margaret Hassan gained pace yesterday as fears grew for her safety against the background of puzzling silence from her kidnappers.

An Australian journalist was held hostage in Baghdad for 24 hours over the weekend before being released unharmed, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard today refused to withdraw troops from Iraq as demanded by militants who claim to have taken two of his countrymen hostage and are threatening to execute them within 24 hours.

At least one person died when Cyclone Ivy tore through Vanuatu last week, causing ”moderate to severe damage” in the South Pacific Island chain, senior Australian and New Zealand officials said today.

THAILAND confirmed Asia’s eighth human victim of the avian flu virus yesterday in the deadliest outbreak on record, while the number of affected countries rose to 10 with Laos and China reporting cases.

The popular Thai holiday island of Phuket is at high risk of a terrorist attack according to information obtained by Australia, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

The Australian government is advising citizens to put off all non-essential travel to Indonesia because of "disturbing" new information of threats to them in the country.

Canberra

The Australian Government hopes to work closely with Jakarta to stem the tide of illegal migrants passing through Indonesia on their way to Australia, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said today.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer today rejected calls by legislators to ban Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe from a Commonwealth summit in October.

Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer today rejected calls by legislators to ban Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe from a Commonwealth summit in October.

A domestic turf battle between Japan's outspoken foreign minister and her bureaucratic underlings has spilled out on the world stage, with ripples felt in Europe, the US and Australia.