Darwin, Australia News

Immigration statistics show around 280 expatriates - mostly families and skilled migrants - have come back to Australia over the past year but the total number of Greek citizens in Australia is expected to be higher, with many more here on holidays.

DARWIN is the hottest Australian city in more ways than one, basking in the surprise glory of being named one of Lonely Planet's Top 10 world cities for 2012.

Congratulations to the big winner in Saturday's vote: York Village . Cool customer: Braden Blennerhassett was piloting his cargo plane out of Darwin, Australia, recently when a snake slithered out from behind his instrument panel and across his lap.

QANTAS and Jetstar will cut the number of flights arriving at Darwin and Uluru because of poor patronage due to a slump in overseas visitors.

Long-range planning: Toro Energy managing director Greg Hall says about four shipping containers a month would be sent to market by rail.

Welcoming new Marine rotational deployments in Australia and Navy rotations planned for Singapore, the top U.S. Pacific Command officer said he'll seek similar arrangements, possibly to include the Army, that expand U.S. presence in the region without the need for more permanently based forces.

AS INDIGENOUS teenagers from the Northern Territory, Dominic Barry and Shane McAuliffe have seen, first-hand, the good and bad sides of Aboriginal communities.

Anti-nuclear activist band The Super Raelene Brothers first made it into the pages of Green Left Weekly in 1995.

SHANGHAI: As the Australian warship HMAS Ballarat glided in from the horizon to dock at the Shanghai Bund, Australian and Chinese flags fluttered in the wind in unison, naval officers from both sides mingled warmly, and a banner was unfurled to celebrate the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations.

Today marks 50 days before the 50th Australian National Sprint Kart Championships fires up at Darwin's Hidden Valley Raceway in the Northern Territory on July 7/8. It is the first time in the 50-year history of the prestigious event that it has been held in the Northern Territory.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has talked up Australia's strong economic fundamentals after concerns over Europe caused a rout in global sharemarkets and sent the Australian dollar to a six-month low.

An hour of current affairs background and debate from Australia and the world every Monday to Friday, 12:10 pm, ABC Local Radio and Radio National .

PETER CAVE: This morning in Darwin the Prime Minister Julia Gillard will take part in a sod turning ceremony for a multi-billion dollar gas processing plant being built in Darwin Harbour by the Japanese company Inpex.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard says figures suggesting the carbon tax will push up electricity prices by 6.8 per cent in the Northern Territory prove a fear campaign by the federal opposition is unfounded.

U.S. Marines recently arrived in Australia as part of a move by the U.S. to place greater emphasis on Asia and the Pacific.

U.S. Marines are shown during a training exercise south of Darwin, Australia. Marines recently arrived in Australia as part of a move by the U.S. to place greater emphasis on Asia and the Pacific.

The 1972 reversion of Okinawa to Japan came with a price - the continued use by the United States of sprawling military bases and other facilities in the prefecture to protect Japan and maintain peace in the Asia-Pacific region.

BEIJING: China has criticised Australia's close military alliance with the United States as an outdated throwback to the Cold War era in an apparent rebuke of Canberra's decision to allow a US military presence along Australia's north coast.

Indonesia has given its strongest indication yet that it is considering allowing the transfer of prisoners to and from Australia, with Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa saying exchanges would be a good thing.

In this Nov. 17, 2011 file photo, President Barack Obama and Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard arrive to speak with Australian troops during a visit to Royal Australian Air Force Base in Darwin, Australia.