Libyans are celebrating the death of Colonel Gaddafi. The country's transitional government says he was killed after being found in and dragged from a drainage pipe on the outskirts of his hometown of Sirte. Western leaders are this morning welcoming the news. US President Barack Obama says the dark shadow of tyranny has now been lifted from that country. 

 

Queen Elizabeth will be focusing on official business on the second day of her Australian visit. The Queen will meet Prime Minister Julia Gillard at Government House this morning. That will be followed by a meeting with the Opposition leader Tony Abbott. Yesterday hundreds of people turned out as the Queen cruised Canberra's Lake Burley Griffin and toured the Floriade flower show. 

 

Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young is defending her role in the demise of the Commonwealth Ombudsman. Allan Asher bowed to pressure and resigned yesterday after admitting he secretly drafted questions for the senator to ask him at a parliamentary hearing. Senator Hanson-Young says she doesn't regret her actions and accused the Government of engaging in a “witch-hunt”. 

 

Thailand's government says it is now inevitable that some parts of Bangkok will be flooded. Billions of cubic metres of water have accumulated to the north of the city. The government’s ordered Bangkok city administrations to open all the city's floodgates to try to drain the floodwaters. Thailand's prime minister is describing the situation as a national crisis.