Australian Lottery Results for Thursday Feb 16th, 2012

Australian unemployment posted a surprise drop to 5.1 percent Thursday with 46,300 jobs created in January -- quadruple forecasts at a time when banks and airline Qantas have announced lay-offs.

The boarding party of an Australian warship has dumped 260kg of narcotics into the ocean, after a drug bust in the Arabian Sea.

Ex-France No. 8 Sebastien Chabal will play for an Australian club after his sacking by Racing-Metro, but may be limited to a single guest appearance with lower-tier Sydney team Balmain. Balmain Rugby Club president Warren Livingstone confirmed Chabal will play in a one-off match for "The Muzzled Wolves" on Feb.

Sydney, Feb 16, 2012 (AFP) - - Australian unemployment posted a surprise drop to 5.

Australian employers added more workers than economists forecast in January and the unemployment rate unexpectedly declined, as the nation’s resource-driven economy weathers Europe’s sovereign-debt crisis.

Local unit lifts on strong US jobs data. 17 Feb 2012 8:14 AM

Local currency slips on Greek bailout worries. 16 Feb 2012 8:36 AM

Compiled for Reuters by Media Monitors. Reuters has not verified these stories and does not vouch for their accuracy.

THE performance of Australian school students is up to three years behind the performance of children in Shanghai and lags well behind children in other Asian countries.

Bailout package uncertainty weighs on local unit. 16 Feb 2012 8:12 AM