World News Australia http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/ Two Australians were among 18 people killed when a plane clipped a fence, crash-landed and burst into flames on a steep airstrip near Mt Everest today, airport officials say. http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/two_aussies_dead_in_nepal_crash_559447 Malaysia's Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said he will step down as leader of the ruling party in March. http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/malaysian_pm_to_quit_next_march_559445 A woman suicide bomber blew herself up outside a courthouse north of the Iraqi capital, killing six security personnel and three civilians, officials say. http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/woman_suicide_bomber_kills_nine_in_iraq_559446 Major US dailies Wednesday contrasted the civility of the second presidential debate with the increasing rancour of the campaign but say the exchange did not alter the race. http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/obama_39unscathed39_after_debate_559444 Japan's lower house approved an $US18 billion ($A25.39 billion) emergency budget to stimulate its economy as fresh turmoil battered Tokyo financial markets. http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/japan_plans_economic_stimulus_package_559443 Ricky Ponting has indicated he's leaning towards selecting finger spinner Jason Krejza for Thursday's first Test against India. http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/ponting_leaning_toward_krejza_for_test_559442 Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso says the Tokyo stock market plunge was "beyond our imagination" after it shed almost 10 percent and added that he had "huge fears" for the future of the economy. http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/39huge_fears39_for_japan39s_future__559439 At least 11 people were killed in the Egyptian port city of Alexandria before dawn when a four-storey apartment block collapsed as families slept. http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/seven_die_in_egypt_building_collapse_559441 The pitch for the first Test between India and Australia was watered on Tuesday night and that has delighted Ricky Ponting's men. http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/watered_pitch_delights_aussie_test_team_559440 The Canadian pedophile caught by a global police appeal and groundbreaking computer wizardry has appeared in a Thai court on fresh child sex charges. http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/swirl_face_paedophile_on_new_charges_559438