ABC NewsMail - Afternoon Edition

NewsMail Afternoon Edition Sat 18 Jan, 2014 Top Stories More Top Stories » 12 homes lost in SA bushfires, 4 in Vic as bushfire threat continues Sixteen homes have been confirmed lost as bushfires continue to burn across large parts of the south-eastern Australia. In Victoria, four homes have been destroyed in the Grampians, where more than 52,000 hectares have been burnt. In South Australia, 12 homes have been destroyed by fires in the Flinders Ranges, Murraylands and Southern Barossa Valley. Some of the hundreds of people forced to flee have spent the night in relief centres. Victorian Premier Denis Napthine and South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill have both pledged financial relief for those affected. Weather conditions are easing in South Australia, but homes and lives remain threatened with at least 11 fires still out-of-control. More » Federal Government confirms $100m cut to foreign aid budget Email reveals Cabinet approved alcohol crackdown Melbourne restaurant Stokehouse destroyed by fire Obama unveils reforms to spy programs More Analysis » Tony Abbott's high-stakes expectations game While often portrayed in more simplistic terms, as promises kept or broken, the compact sealed between Australian voters and the government they have installed is more fundamentally about the expectations of what values and principles will be upheld. By confusing the two, political observers run the risk of misunderstanding which of the Abbott Government's "broken promises" will be ignored or forgiven and which could be politically toxic. So far Tony Abbott has been much more strategic than his predecessors, creating expectations in broad brush strokes that give him a lot more room to move, including the occasional backdown on promises and commitments. More » Letting go of the Lord's Prayer in Parliament The stragglers of international Test cricket Stop the boats: the answer to the wrong question The Marmalade Files: DFAT's cabinet of curiosities The great Australian air con Dethroning GDP as our measure of progress Hanging up their lab coats: Australia's new brain drain 2014 may be the year of deflation Home buyer beware: the illusion of affordability Just In More Just In » Fish and chip shop manager accused of plotting landlord's murder A Gold Coast man who runs a seafood business in northern New South Wales has been charged with plotting to kill the shop's owner after a rental dispute. More » Explosives used in Canberra police chase Federal Government confirms $100m cut to foreign aid budget Tamworth swells with country music fans for festival launch Martial arts instructor pleads guilty to sending ricin to Obama Lightning costs Rio's iconic Christ statue tip of thumb Four rescued after boat sinks in channel off Geelong Syria's foreign minister raises prospect of ceasefire Unsafe accommodation leaves towns without police Kebab shop closed after gastro outbreak World More World » Martial arts instructor pleads guilty to sending ricin to Obama A former martial arts instructor pleads guilty to sending ricin-laced letters to US president Barack Obama. More » Lightning costs Rio's iconic Christ statue tip of thumb Syria's foreign minister raises prospect of ceasefire Japanese WWII soldier who hid in jungle until 1974 dies Obama unveils reforms to spy programs UN, IMF officials killed in Kabul suicide bombing Business More Business » Retail shares hammered after Super posts poor results By finance reporters Rebecca Hyam, Justine Parker and staff Retail stocks are dragging the market lower, with resources and energy stocks among the only sectors making reasonable gains. Retailers have been under intense selling pressure after Super Retail Group reported much weaker than expected first-half sales - Super shares were down around 16 per cent. The disappointing pre-Christmas sales result has traders worried about the performance of a range of other retailers. More » Political unrest causing serious damage to Thai economy iiNet rejects NBN agreement due to 'appalling delivery record' Fortescue safety in question after string of incidents Local shares lose momentum as market closes WCB welcomes Bega share sale to Saputo Politics More Politics » Federal Government confirms $100m cut to foreign aid budget The Federal Government has announced it will cut the foreign aid budget by more than $100 million this financial year and redirect funds to fighting poverty in the Asia-Pacific region. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the total aid budget this year will be more than $5 billion - $107 million less than the year before - and will be tied to rigorous benchmarks. Two days before the federal election, the Coalition announced it would slash the growth of the foreign aid budget to the tune of $4.5 billion over the coming four years. Aid groups panned the cuts which Ms Bishop says are vital to put Australia's foreign aid budget "on a sustainable footing". More » Obama unveils reforms to spy programs Email reveals Cabinet approved alcohol crackdown Indonesia cautions Australia over territory violations Medicos unite to decry unlimited road speed trial Sport More Sport » Federer advances confidently over Gabashvili Roger Federer is looking stronger by the day, and has breezed past Russian Teymuraz Gabashvili. More » Sharapova forced to fight for fourth round berth Bushfires put Tour stage in doubt Gallen's opponent 'excited' by opportunity Faulkner provides Australia dramatic one-wicket ODI win Stosur falls short against Ivanovic Science and Technology More Science and Technology » Patient records targeted in ransomware cyber attacks By technology reporter Jake Sturmer and Alison McClymont Pharmacists have become the latest targets of sophisticated computer hacks known as ransomware attacks, which lock up PCs until victims pay up. More » Bitcoins catching on with Australian businesses, despite reservations Zoo deems bananas too unhealthy for monkeys Cheap genome sequencing available after Australian institute buys new machine Scientists 'e-tag' honey bees to track population decline Environment More Environment » Dangerous smog in Beijing as index hits top of scale China's capital has been shrouded in dangerous smog, cutting visibility down to a few hundred metres. More » Flying foxes drop dead in extreme heat Heatwaves in Australia more frequent, hotter and longer, report reveals 2014's hottest places in Australia so far West African lion close to extinction: study 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 © 2014 ABC | Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy | Discover other ABC Email newsletters