Sydney, March 27 : Analyzing the venom of a platypus may help scientists design new pain killers in the future.

According to a report by ABC News, molecular biologist Camilla Whittington has been granted a Fulbright Scholarship to analyse the components of the venom, which can cause severe pain.

"Once we know which one causes pain, then people can start to work to understand how it does that and then develop novel pain killers," said Whittington, a PhD student at the University of Sydney.

Venom from snakes have already yielded treatments for heart and blood problems, but very little is known about venom from mammals.

The platypus is one of only five mammals that produce venom.

Brisbane (Australia), Mar. 27: Indian Australians Vijay and Shirley Singh have decided to sue the man accused of brutally killing their three children almost six years ago - for trespass.

According to the Courier Mail, the Singhs have filed a 140,000 dollar damages claim against Massimo "Max" Sica in the Queensland District Court for "negligent trespass" and, or alternately "private nuisance", at their Bridgeman Downs home around the time their children were killed.

The claim details cleaning, repair and security costs incurred after the crime and police investigation.

Melbourne - Williams upstaged the favourites Friday in the first official Formula One practice session of 2009.

German Nico Rosenberg, third in Melbourne last year, topped the time sheets ahead of Sunday's Australian Grand Prix.

Team-mate Kazuki Nakajima was second in the first free practice of the day. Former world champion Kimi Raikkonen was in third place for Ferrari, followed by the first Brawn GP driven by Brazilian veteran Rubens Barrichello.

Sydney  - It's easy to poke fun at Earth Hour, an Australian initiative now into its third year in which people around the world are asked to switch off their lights for 60 minutes to show their concern about global warming.

The poster boy for this year's switch-off is British business tycoon and space tourism pioneer Richard Branson, a powerboat racer and sponsor of a fuel-hungry Formula One team and an individual with a giant-sized environmental footprint.

Sydney  - Australian Defence Minister Joel Fitzgibbon was fighting to keep his job Thursday after admitting he failed to declare trips to China paid for by family friend and prominent local businesswoman Helen Liu.

"This was a mistake, and for that, I apologize," the embattled minister said after being carpeted in Canberra by Education Minister Julia Gillard, who is standing in for Prime Minister Kevin Rudd while he tours abroad.

Melbourne, Mar 26 :  A 139-year-old envelope, which is believed to be earliest known airmail item addressed to Australia, has fetched more than 190,000 dollars at an auction.

The envelope, or so-called balloon post cover, was flown out of Paris in 1870 by hot air balloon when Paris was under siege from the Prussian army in the Franco-Prussian war.

It has been bought for by a French buyer for a record price of 190,800 dollars.