ABC NewsMail - Afternoon Edition

NewsMail Afternoon Edition Wed 25 Dec, 2013 Top Stories More Top Stories » Mass grave fuels fears of ethnic bloodshed in South Sudan Thousands of South Sudanese have been killed in over a week of violence with reports of bodies piled in mass graves, the UN says, amid ongoing battles threatening to slide into civil war. More » Two boys abducted south of Brisbane Queensland family celebrate Christmas off the streets Deadly storms wreak havoc in Britain and France The Ashes: Michael Clarke says Boxing Day Test side fully fit, England still a threat despite Ashes loss More Analysis » A time to be thankful for the market economy (really) At first glance, the Australian Christmas in 1865 doesn't look too different from ours. Food, family, the outdoors; it looks lovely. But the celebration would have been an enormous, expensive, time-consuming, and overwhelming logistical task. Now, thanks to the technology and wealth generated by a market economy and consumer society, it has never been easier to share Christmas with friends and family. More » Revisiting the Jesus meme Tony Abbott's blame game can't last forever The sticky residues of Christian faith Ben Pobjie's tips for maintaining Christmas harmony The Coalition is a victim of its own rhetoric The age of internet empires The Hobbit as you've never experienced it before These falls may be just the beginning for the AUD The opportunistic embrace of free speech Just In More Just In » Unprovoked stabbing outside Sydney mass A man has been refused bail after allegedly stabbing a woman in an unprovoked attack outside a midnight mass in Sydney. More » Queensland family celebrate Christmas off the streets Man hurt in explosion while cooking Christmas lunch Egypt's former PM arrested while 'escaping to Sudan' Your photos: Australia celebrates Christmas 2013 Ashes: Australian eleven fit and ready, Clarke says Christmas parcels delivered with a smile to outback NSW Israeli air strikes kill child from refugee camp in Gaza Strip Mass grave fuels fears of ethnic bloodshed in South Sudan Astronauts step out on Christmas Eve spacewalk World More World » Egypt's former PM arrested while 'escaping to Sudan' Egyptian police have arrested former prime minister Hisham Qandil, who served under ousted president Mohammed Morsi. More » Israeli air strikes kill child from refugee camp in Gaza Strip Mass grave fuels fears of ethnic bloodshed in South Sudan Astronauts step out on Christmas Eve spacewalk Deadly storms wreak havoc in Britain and France Philippines expects a Merry Christmas despite Typhoon Haiyan Business More Business » Retailers get Christmas cheer from spendthrift consumers By business reporter Pat McGrath Retailers are expecting Christmas sales to better last year's, with city stores full of customers. The Australian Retailers Association is expecting sales of more than $42 billion in the six weeks leading up to Christmas - around 3 per cent more than last year. Other retailer organisations are even more optimistic, expecting more than 5 per cent sales growth. More » Share market continues winning run into Christmas break NAB and UBS pay up for alleged market misdemeanours Health Minister approves 6.2 per cent increase to health insurance Politics More Politics » Israeli air strikes kill child from refugee camp in Gaza Strip By Middle East correspondent Hayden Cooper, wires A young Palestinian girl has been killed in a series of Israeli strikes on the Gaza Strip, in response to the fatal shooting of an Israeli civilian. More » Mass grave fuels fears of ethnic bloodshed in South Sudan Britain pardons 'father of computing' of homosexuality conviction Medical tests for older drivers to be abolished in SA Nyrstar given five years to upgrade smelter Sport More Sport » Ashes: Australian eleven fit and ready, Clarke says Michael Clarke says all players are fully fit heading into the Boxing Day Test, as England patches up recent divisions. More » Plenty of contenders for Sydney to Hobart 2013: The year in sport Great sporting comebacks of 2013 MCG magic moments Swann blasts 'low life' journalists Science and Technology More Science and Technology » Astronauts step out on Christmas Eve spacewalk Two astronauts have stepped out for a rare Christmas Eve spacewalk, successfully wrapping up repairs on a cooling system at the International Space Station. More » Terminally ill daughter inspires new hospital technology 15 animal stories from 2013 you may have missed World's first life-sized Lego car hits streets of Melbourne Snorkel-clad spacewalkers leave ISS for crucial repairs Environment More Environment » Nyrstar given five years to upgrade smelter Nyrstar's $385 million proposal to upgrade its lead and zinc smelter at Port Pirie has been given major project status by the South Australian Government. It has imposed 12 conditions on Nyrstar to help safeguard air and water quality and the backing triggers a five-year time frame for an upgraded plant to be operational. A final decision from the company itself on whether to proceed is expected early in the new year. More » Fact File: Protecting people from shark attacks Can governments protect people from killer sharks? Government accused of breaking election promise over whaling Waratah talks up jobs potential of massive mine 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. 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