Perspective

  • Way too much sport is barely enough

    With a bit of luck, Australians will soon be watching any sport anywhere on any device.

  • Rough ride ahead for the Kelly gang

    Tensions over Westpac's sliding share price could derail the multibillion-dollar merger with St George, weakening both banks.

  • When will the credit crisis end?

    Phase one is drawing to an end but brace yourselves for phase two; bond and equity markets are entering a more dangerous period.

  • Arts and culture make dollars and sense in a big picture

    Calculating the value of any artistic endeavour can be a demanding business.

  • Nothing placid about Domingo

    His suave good looks, sexy Latin accent and beautifully modulated tenor are why Placido Domingo is still opera's pin-up boy, despite the fact he is almost a septuagenarian and has been belting out arias on the world's premier stages for more than 40 years.

  • A challenging time but there's plenty of potential

    The Challenger mine, in a remote corner of the South Australian outback, is a lonely place, both geographically and within the Australian goldmining sector.

  • Sin City . . . here we come

    Many Catholics have vivid memories of how much trouble you can get into without really trying

  • Bursting the bubble of oil mania

    The real scapegoat for expensive oil is the fundamental mismatch of supply and demand.

  • Gold rush over for some

    The news is mostly bad for investors in gold shares - largely because the Chinese aren't yet interested.

  • They like it dull at AMP

    A stolid but rich mutual had a wild, expensive ride after listing on the market

  • Global economy has that shrinking feeling

    Rising interest rates, surging oil prices, faltering property and sharemarkets, and rising inflation are all contributing to a gloomy global economic reality.

  • IT'S THE RIGHT WAY OR THE HIGHWAY

    Ross Garnaut has given Kevin Rudd the ammunition to go on the front foot.

  • Power to the people assured

    Energy sector complaints that the country risks disruptions to electricity supply if coal-fired power stations are not compensated for the impact of emissions trading have been comprehensively rejected by the Rudd government's climate-change adviser.

  • Ominous start when the clock is ticking

    Ross Garnaut's report is the first in a string of developments aimed at starting a national emissions trading scheme in 2010.

  • All revved up to include fuel

    The draft Garnaut report has insisted that petrol must be part of an emissions trading scheme and rejects calls for a cut in the fuel excise to offset increased prices at the pump.

  • Business fears slip in competitiveness

    Business groups broadly back the Garnaut report's push for a comprehensive emissions trading scheme (ETS) but stress that Australian companies must not lose international competitiveness as a result.

  • How to sound convincing when no one will listen

    The Treasurer is trying to hose down fears the government is wary of foreign investment.

  • Why red wine is the perfect companion to red meat

    Recent research has shown that red wines are full of a chemical that can protect your health.

  • OBAMA MOVES TO THE CENTRE

    The Democratic candidate must claim the middle ground if he is to claim the Oval Office.

  • Moody's blues hit ratings agencies

    Regulators are trying to cut dependence on the scores issued by agencies but it is easier said than done.

  • Pundits prattle on while the real world waits for recognition

    The cosy international clubs spawned after WWII are in need of reform and culling to maintain their relevance.

  • Viacom is watching YouTube too

    Two media giants are at loggerheads over what can and can't be viewed online for free.

  • Industry bears cost of Beijing clean-up

    Polluting factories will come to a standstill to ensure the capital's air is clean enough for the August Olympics.

  • SWISS GIANT IN DIRE STRAITS

    UBS, the world's biggest wealth manager, is under attack from both sides of the Atlantic.

  • Scribbles waiting for meaning

    Like Beckett, painter Cy Twombly believed there could be no dogmatic certainty in the modern world, writes Sue Hubbard.

  • Flawed representation

    A Patent Lie By Paul Goldstein

  • Wartime adventure loses momentum

    Children of the Silk Road

  • RECOMMENDED

    The Band's Visit

  • AFR CROSSWORD 2210

    ACROSS

Don't miss our guide to Profit Season 2008, including expert analysis and fund managers top tips. Plus exclusive roundtable video of leading experts and a calendar of results