Today's headlines

THE WEST AUSTRALIAN (Business news)

Territory lifts ConMin bid
Territory Resources will unveil an improved counter-offer for Consolidated Minerals this morning, forcing the target to seek last-minute court orders to defer Thursday's shareholder vote on a rival bid from Brian Gilbertson's Pallinghurst Resources.

Goldfields site for drill rig factory
Kalgoorlie entrepreneur Warren Strange plans to take on market leaders Drilltech and Atlas Copco by building a $7 million factory in the Goldfields centre to make drill rigs as part of major expansion of his Globe Drill business.

WANH reviews Hoyts' future as cinema under microscope
The future ownership of Hoyts could be resolved as soon as next month with West Australian Newspapers Holdings in the midst of a review to decide wether it will follow joint venture partner Publishing & Broadcasting in selling its half-stake in the cinema chain.

THE WEST AUSTRALIAN (General news)

Schools now '200 teachers short'
State school could be plunged inot chaos when students return next week with the union warning there may be a shortfall of up to 200 teachers, some of whom have not even told the Education Department they had quit at the end of last term.

WA legal system facing overload
WA's legal system will face big pressures as a result fo the police operations in Kimberley Aboriginal communities which was already producing an unprecedented level of sex abuse charges, it was revealed yesterday.

Pressure grows on WA over GM crops
The Carpenter Governement is under renewed pressure to fast-track a review of its moratorium on geneticallymodified crops amid concerns WA is falling farther behind progress in teh other States.