Sydney Morning Herald - Business & World News Australia

National

Rudd blasts Westpac over banana slipThis article contains a video that will play automatically.

7:32pm | Prime Minister chastises Westpac for sending an email to customers justifying its recent interest rate rise by comparing the bank to a business selling banana smoothies.

I questioned whether I was alive

Freed hostage Nigel Brennan apologises for the stress and worry his escapade caused.

Video

World

Climate summit in disarray after leakThis article contains a video that will play automatically.

ADAM MORTON, COPENHAGEN 12:18pm | The UN climate talks in Copenhagen descend into acrimony after the leaking of a draft "Copenhagen Agreement".

| Warmest decade
| MORE

Obama's push to end unemployment 'tragedy'
15 years for father who killed daughter who had sex before marriage
Kidnapped, bound, then captor tried to cut out her unborn baby, say police
Hoteliers deny abusing Muslim woman over hijab
Car bombs rock Baghdad: 127 killedThis article contains a video that will play automatically.

Has Moko the dolphin flipped?

He's tipped over water skiers, stolen surfboards and trapped young women at sea.

Video

Video

Aussies set for surfing crowns

Aussies Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson will face off for the men's world title this week in Hawaii. (00:00)

Business Day

Consumers less chirpy as rates hit home

2:37pm | Consumer confidence slid for the second consecutive month in December as borrowers worried about the effect of higher interest rate on their budgets.

| Exports slump, blowing out deficit

Markets Updated 11:13
All Ords	-33.86	-0.72%
ASX 200	-32.75	-0.70%

Missing out on extra cash?

Are you getting 5.51% interest on your savings?

Abandoned by the RBA

The idea things are on the mend for small retailers is ridiculous.

Cognac sells for $40,000

A bottle of 1788 cognac has fetched a high price at auction.

National Times

Five-letter word for banks' rush to fatten profitThis article contains a video that will play automatically.

ROSS GITTINS | Yes, banks have raised their mortgage interest rates by more than the rise in the official rate because they're greedy.

Bob Geldof Buying into the greening of Africa
Tanveer Ahmed Health reform being held hostage by its masters
Emma Young Celebrities are not beacons of virtueThis article contains a video that will play automatically.
Small Print Blog I'm a celebrity rat, pass the hemlock
Jill Jolliffe True culprits in sight as silence over Balibo killings breaks

The Gomez of the Abbott Family

Misha Schubert Some have pilloried Tony Abbott's reshuffle as a lurch to the right.

Technology

Google sues work-from-home scammers

LOUISA HEARN 1:54pm | The Google-branded ads promised "up to $978 a day working from home", but all job seekers got in return for their application was a recurring bill on their credit card.

Tiger trapped in spoofers' online jungleThis article contains a video that will play automatically.
Screenplay What I hate about video games
Google releases Chrome for Macs, Linux
Dell rings up $7.1m in sales using Twitter
Gadgets Blog iPhone car cradles - Kensington v Navigon

The year of satnav and vampires

Bill and Edward - and TomTom - rated highly on the iTunes charts.

KARL QUINN 1:57pm | Qantas spokeswoman Deborah Hutton appears to forget the golden rule about not biting the hand that feeds you as she tweets about her frustration with Jetstar - Qantas' upstart sibling.