AAP

Virgin Australia has confirmed 350 corporate and head office staff will depart in coming months as its major restructure draws to a close.

Coronavirus vaccine giants Pfizer and AstraZeneca will face a grilling from politicians hunting answers about Australia's immunisation effort.

Investors had their biggest loss on the share market in more than a week, but a modest rise in inflation indicated conditions should remain favourable for some time.

The economic alarm has again been sounded over climate inaction, with an environmental group warning the cost of extreme weather has more than doubled over the last 50 years.

The Western Australian Liberals are refusing to commit to having their policies costed by Treasury as potentially record numbers of people prepare to cast an early vote.

The IMF has upgraded its global economic growth forecast for this year, but admits that exceptional uncertainty remains.

Business conditions have risen to their highest levels in two years, suggesting strong momentum in Australia's economic recovery.

Australia will pledge $1.5 billion over five years to help build a more climate-resilient world and set up a new agency to deal with disaster resilience and risk reduction.

The diplomatic row between Australian and China rolls on, but new figures show trade between the two countries has not been totally throttled by the war of words.

Australia's share market has closed a little higher as investors favoured consumer and technology stocks, expected to do well in next month's earnings reports.

Australia has put a stop to the New Zealand travel bubble for 72 hours after a South African variant of COVID-19 was detected in a woman after 14 days of isolation.

The Western Australian government has blamed spiralling debt under the previous administration for its failure to house more vulnerable people.

The federal government is boosting Australia's maritime security with a $1 billion development of advanced guided weapons.

The Pfizer coronavirus vaccine has been provisionally approved for use in Australia with the first jabs set for late next month.

Australia's share market has closed lower but provided gains for the week, with an analyst tipping that a good February earnings season could see the ASX return to the lofty 7000-points range.

Western Australia will reopen its borders to NSW and Queensland from Monday but travellers will still be required to self-isolate for 14 days and get a COVID-19 test.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has rejected a proposal to extend JobKeeper payments for the hard-hit hospitality industry.

Cricket Australia will stand firm on the decision to drop the term "Australia Day", adamant they must embrace hard conversations despite criticism from Scott Morrison.

Australia's share market has closed higher and at 11-month highs, as an improved unemployment rate supported investor optimism on day one of Joe Biden's US presidency.

Job numbers in WA were steady in December, but unemployment fell 0.2 percentage points to be 6.2 per cent.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has struck an agreement with major east coast gas exporters to guarantee domestic supply at competitive prices.

Scott Morrison has hit back at Labor's accusation he damaged Australia's alliance with the United States through being too close to Donald Trump.

Investors have enjoyed gains of 0.41 per cent after the ASX closed higher, helped by market giant BHP raising iron ore production targets and US stimulus expectations.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has lamented the difficulty in attracting local workers to address critical labour shortages on farms.

An injury-ravaged India have ended Australia's 32-year undefeated run at the Gabba with a record-breaking final day chase to win the Test by three wickets and the series 2-1.

Western Australia's government has promised better transparency after it was not disclosed that several recovered COVID-19 cases were linked to the highly contagious British strain.

Investors have enjoyed a broad-based rally on the Australian share market, as they hope for more US stimulus after Joe Biden is sworn in as US president on Thursday.

Australia's peak social services group is again urging the federal government to raise the long-term rate of JobSeeker, with the payment set to drop back to $40 a day in April.

Australians on unemployment support are expected to again receive $40 a day from April when the coronavirus supplement ends.

Investors have had their biggest loss in a week on the Australian share market and will be hoping US president-elect Joe Biden's stimulus plan is passed after he takes office this week.

The head of Australia's health department believes it is unlikely international borders will substantially reopen this year, even if most people are vaccinated against coronavirus.

Two retail groups which own the Supercheap Auto and JB Hi-Fi stores have reported bumper first-half earnings during the pandemic.