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NewsMail Morning Edition Thu 19 Dec, 2013 Top Stories More Top Stories » Arctic 30 to avoid trial after amnesty bill passes By Europe correspondent Mary Gearin, wires Thirty Greenpeace activists, including Tasmanian Colin Russell, are set to avoid trial after Russia's parliament approved an amnesty bill. The Arctic 30 were charged with hooliganism over a protest at a Russian oil rig in September and were facing jail terms of up to seven years. Greenpeace says a last-minute amendment to the bill means Russia will almost certainly end legal proceedings against the group. "I'm really relieved now. As of the 19th [of December] it's three months since we were first detained," Mr Russell told the ABC. The bill will also see the early release of two Pussy Riot members who had received two-year sentences for singing a song critical of president Vladimir Putin in a Moscow cathedral last year. More » US Fed to scale back stimulus program Australian racism would prevent fair trial of Indian facing extradition: lawyer ACCC warns consumers of parcel scams over Christmas Camera recovered from Tiger Moth crash site Australian cyclist Michael Rogers suspended after recording positive dope test India moves diplomat to UN mission following arrest in New York More Analysis » Hockey is saving the good news for May The tactic Joe Hockey is using is clear. The weaker the economic forecasts now, the 'worse' the budget position appears. The unrealistically pessimistic view of the economy as presented in MYEFO means that when the budget estimates are framed in May 2014, there will be an inevitable upgrade to the performance of the economy. What is more, when the decisions to cut spending which Mr Hockey flagged in MYEFO are delivered, the trajectory of the budget will be for there to be a surplus in 2016-17. Mr Hockey will be a fiscal hero, at least in his own mind. More » Ashes: the urn is home for Christmas Those income tax cuts aren't looking so good now All Hockey wants for Christmas is a lower dollar Prepare for a cheaper, slimmer NDIS Is time up for Australia's uranium industry? No more pretend surpluses: budget pain is coming The Coalition's budget decisions are all its own Irresponsible opposition is holding the economy back How the PM can make his next 100 days better Just In More Just In » 'Good neighbour' payments on offer near wind turbines Residents close to a proposed 120-turbine wind farm east of Adelaide can apply for 'good neighbour' payments if they back the project. More » Woodford Folk Festival creates a monster Another big miner fined for sacking Qld union officials Lostprophets singer jailed for 35 years for child sex abuse East Timor launches court proceedings over ASIO raid US Fed to scale back stimulus program Australian cyclist Rogers has positive doping test Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade moved to UN for immunity ACCC warns consumers of parcel scams over Christmas Australian racism would prevent fair trial of Indian facing extradition: lawyer World More World » Lostprophets singer jailed for 35 years for child sex abuse British rock singer Ian Watkins, the former Lostprophets frontman, has been jailed for 35 years for the attempted rape of a baby and other "incomprehensible" child sex offences. More » US Fed to scale back stimulus program Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade moved to UN for immunity Former Egyptian president Morsi to stand trial for 'espionage' India's parliament passes 'historic' anti-corruption law Apartheid South Africa's 'Dr Death' guilty of medical misconduct Business More Business » US Fed to scale back stimulus program The US Federal Reserve has announced it will begin to scale back its massive stimulus program from next month. The Fed will reduce its monthly asset purchases by $US10 billion from January, bringing them down to $US75 billion. It is the central bank's first step towards winding back the stimulus that has helped the US recover from its worst recession since the 1930s. The Australian dollar has been volatile since the announcement and around 7:30am AEDT was at 88.5 US cents. More » Abbott announces $100m plan to help 'liberated' Holden workers find jobs Stevens backs Hockey's decision to give the RBA $8.8 billion Costello wins Future Fund role Apple agrees to address ACCC's consumer protection concerns Politics More Politics » Former Egyptian president Morsi to stand trial for 'espionage' Egypt's deposed president Mohamed Morsi will be tried on charges of espionage that allegedly aided a "terrorism" campaign involving Hamas and Hezbollah, according to state media. More » India's parliament passes 'historic' anti-corruption law Electoral funding verdict has national ramifications: barrister Arctic 30 to avoid trial after amnesty bill passes Outrage as environmental lawyers lose funding Sport More Sport » Australian cyclist Rogers has positive doping test Australian three-time world time trial cycling champion Michael Rogers has tested positive to clenbuterol. More » Matt Prior facing Ashes axe as England seeks answers Ashes win justifies Arthur sacking: Sutherland Djokovic appoints Boris Becker as head coach ASADA may hand down longer Flanagan ban Gallop tells other sports to beware the A-League Science and Technology More Science and Technology » Experts warn against experimental stem cell treatments By medical reporter Sophie Scott and Alison Branley Patients who undergo experimental stem cell treatments run the risk of serious injury, experts have warned. More » 3D printed horseshoe breakthrough Study shows how parents lose perspective on child size Wotif.com share plunge after profit downgrade Diamonds found in volcanic rock in Antarctica Environment More Environment » 'Good neighbour' payments on offer near wind turbines Residents close to a proposed 120-turbine wind farm east of Adelaide can apply for 'good neighbour' payments if they back the project. More » Outrage as environmental lawyers lose funding Victorian cattlemen push to reopen high country grazing Kerry returns to Vietnam's Mekong Delta to address climate change issues Bailed Greenpeace activists not able to leave Russia 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