ABC NewsMail - Afternoon Edition

NewsMail Afternoon Edition Thu 25 Jul, 2013 Top Stories More Top Stories » Coalition wants military to lead fight against people smugglers A senior military officer with powers to bypass normal Defence Force command structures would be put in charge of combating people smugglers and securing Australia's borders under a future Coalition government. This morning Opposition Leader Tony Abbott unveiled plans for what the Coalition has called Operation Sovereign Borders, saying the continued arrival of asylum seekers in waters off Australia's north-west coast amounted to a "national emergency". Under the proposal, the three-star commander would be appointed by the Chief of the Defence Force and would report directly to the immigration minister. Meanwhile, the death toll from this week's asylum seeker boat tragedy off Java has risen to 11. More » Scores killed in train crash outside Spanish city Stuart O'Grady doping admission disappoints governing body Sydney cop in court over secret filming of sex Accused cries as jury sees photos of burn victim's injuries Palmer gets go-ahead to build world's biggest dinosaur park More Analysis » The only border security we have left As barriers to trade have evaporated over the last 30 years, barriers to the movements of people have, by and large, remained. As such, "national security" is now the last shot in the locker of governments who have actively ceded control of nearly everything else they do to corporations. It is the one major area of public policy where an otherwise disempowered government (of whatever political persuasion) gets to tell its people that "we we will decide" what's going on. More » Childcare, phony feminism and rethinking masculinity Stuart O'Grady isn't just another rogue drug cheat The mysterious popularity of Rudd Redux The success of school diversity speaks for itself Effective child care policy is not child's play What is a persecuted Iranian to do? Has Kevin Rudd burned young voters? You don't need to cut pay to get more out of workers The time of whose lives exactly? Just In More Just In » Cycling Australia shattered by O'Grady doping admission Cycling Australia says Stuart O'Grady's doping admission is disappointing but feels the sport can regain public support. More » Girl warned mother twins would die without food Boat wreck survivors tell of final moments Study finds women may not need pap smears as often Snappy gift deemed fitting for a future king Assange announces WikiLeaks Party candidates O'Grady, Armstrong, Landis and Contador: Cycling's doping scandals Accused cries as jury sees photos of burn victim's injuries Sydney cop in court over secret filming of sex US Congress rejects bid to curb PRISM spy program World More World » US Congress rejects bid to curb PRISM spy program The US PRISM spy program has survived a legislative challenge in the US House of Representatives. More » China indicts disgraced politician Bo Xilai Gunmen kill 14 truck drivers in Iraq Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick breaks a fan's wrist History of European train crashes Pope Francis decries money, power in first Latin American mass Business More Business » Facebook profit jumps as mobile advertisement revenue increases Sharp increase in revenue from mobile advertisements push social media giant's earnings higher. More » Opes Prime director took out multi-million dollar loan days before the company collapsed, court hears Newcrest lifts gold and copper production in June quarter Macquarie expects its full-year profit to increase Energy Australia pays $160m for Delta Electricity power stations near Lithgow Politics More Politics » Assange announces WikiLeaks Party candidates WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange has announced the candidates who will stand for his WikiLeaks Party at the federal election. More » US Congress rejects bid to curb PRISM spy program Same-sex marriage bill voted down in SA China indicts disgraced politician Bo Xilai Fraser calls for royal commission into offshore processing Sport More Sport » Cycling Australia shattered by O'Grady doping admission Cycling Australia says Stuart O'Grady's doping admission is disappointing but feels the sport can regain public support. More » Demetriou denies tipping off Bombers about ASADA probe Taufel backs DRS despite Ashes controversies Hawks set to name Franklin for Bombers encounter Broncos rule out Hannant for Cowboys clash Exiled Warner pushes for Ashes call-up with 193 in SA Science and Technology More Science and Technology » US Congress rejects bid to curb PRISM spy program The US PRISM spy program has survived a legislative challenge in the US House of Representatives. More » HPV virus increases risk of oesophageal cancer: research Australian scientists join fight against the next human pandemic The legacy of archaeologist Mike Morwood Archaeologist who discovered 'hobbit' dies Environment More Environment » Butler flies into Tarkine electoral and mining battleground By Emily Bryan New Environment Minister Mark Butler is visiting Tasmania's north-west, which is shaping up as a key electoral battleground amid an ongoing debate over mining in the area. Work on a $20 million iron ore mine proposal by Shree Minerals was halted by a Federal Court decision last week because the impact on the Tasmanian Devil was not properly considered. Mark Butler is meeting interested parties in Burnie today and expects to make a decision on the mine's future by the end of the week. More » Koalas face carnage as loggers harvest timber plantations US jets drop unarmed bombs on Barrier Reef area Low carbon price will spur investment in coal: Origin Vandals attack historic trees at Melbourne's Botanic Gardens About this email You received this email because you are subscribed to ABC News email alerts. This message was sent to you at starnewsposting@gmail.com Please add newslists@your.abc.net.au to your email address book to see images by default and stop the email being treated as spam. This email address is not monitored - Please don't reply to this email. Manage your preferences | Unsubscribe | Contact Us   This service may include material from Agence France-Presse (AFP), APTN, Reuters, AAP, CNN and the BBC World Service which is copyright and cannot be reproduced. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 700 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007 © 2013 ABC | Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy | Discover other ABC Email newsletters