ABC NewsMail - Morning Edition

NewsMail Morning Edition Tue 07 Oct, 2014 Top Stories More Top Stories » Fears of massacre as Islamic State militants enter key border town Islamic State fighters tightened their grip on a key Kurdish town on the Syria-Turkey border, sparking fears of a massacre after coalition air strikes failed to hold them off. A black Islamic State flag was seen over a building on the outskirts of the town, which has been under siege by the radical Sunni militant group for the last there weeks. Street-to-street fighting was underway as Kurdish fighters desperately tried to hold the militants at bay. Officials inside the town said it was in serious danger of falling, and all civilians had been ordered to leave with the fighting triggering an exodus of more than 180,000 refugees into Turkey. More » Spanish nurse 'tests positive' for Ebola in Madrid Brisbane chef at centre of grisly murder-suicide Dead horse billboard distasteful, Racing Victoria says Spectators narrowly escape tumbling car at Italy's Jolly Rally Phelps suspended from USA swim team Bianchi 'critical but stable' after grand prix crash Reef agency insiders say cuts undermining conservation Sex request teacher 'tattooed 10yo's name on chest' Ruling to determine limits of mental health boards' power More Analysis » Can we really afford to go to war? The mundane reality is that military intervention in Iraq is a public policy decision like any other and has to be paid for with scarce funds. But is a "war tax" the best move? We're told the mission could cost about half a billion dollars a year and take "many months", but military action is notorious for blowing out. An old military saying is amateurs talk strategy, professionals talk logistics. Given the state of the Commonwealth budget, perhaps we ought to start talking finance first. More » AFL free agency hasn't killed off club loyalty Julie Bishop: right woman, wrong time Scrutinising police interaction with the Church The Prime Minister's burqa ban blunder Australia's market in for a bumpy ride OurABC: how we're rising to a changing news world Mental as: breaking the taboo and tackling life The tough decisions on Iraq have only begun Social change from a selfie? You #WISH Just In More Just In » Government scales back plan to make unemployed apply for 40 jobs a month The Federal Government is abandoning a draft plan to require unemployed people to apply for 40 jobs a month in order to keep receiving the dole. More » Muslim women verbally attacked while driving in NSW Former minister urges caution on cashless welfare card Spectators narrowly escape tumbling car at Italy's Jolly Rally Phelps suspended over drink driving arrest Dead horse billboard distasteful, Racing Victoria says Spanish nurse 'tests positive' for Ebola in Madrid Bianchi 'critical but stable' after grand prix crash Ruling to determine limits of mental health boards' power Discoverers of brain's GPS system awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine World More World » Spectators narrowly escape tumbling car at Italy's Jolly Rally Spectators at the Jolly Rally in Italy's Valle d'Aosta had a lucky escape when a car left the track and crashed into a bank of spectators. More » Phelps suspended over drink driving arrest Spanish nurse 'tests positive' for Ebola in Madrid Bianchi 'critical but stable' after grand prix crash Discoverers of brain's GPS system awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine Fears of massacre as Islamic State militants enter key border town Business More Business » BHP Billiton to cut iron ore costs By resources reporter Sue Lannin BHP Billiton has raised the stakes in the ongoing war of attrition in global iron ore with a plan to slash costs and lift production. The world's biggest miner is going head to head with arch rival Rio Tinto for global domination that in recent months has seen prices plummet, threatening to send smaller, higher cost suppliers to the wall. BHP Billiton Iron Ore president Jimmy Wilson this morning announced the company planned to add a further 65 million tonnes of annual production to an already flooded market, with ambitions to become the lowest cost producer. More » RBA board meeting a 'must-see event' say economists Heavy mining losses drag share market down Telstra shareholders scaled back in $1 billion buyback Tasmanian walnut industry excited by China links Ebola outbreak has 'significant risk' for economy: IMF Politics More Politics » Former minister urges caution on cashless welfare card By political reporter Eliza Borrello Former Liberal Indigenous affairs minister Fred Chaney says the Federal Government should be cautious about any plans for a new cashless welfare card. More » Hong Kong civil servants back to work, protests continue Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej recovering after gallbladder surgery Reef agency insiders say cuts undermining conservation Hong Kong government employees return to work Sport More Sport » Suns secure free agent Malceski The Gold Coast Suns have signed Sydney Swans premiership defender Nick Malceski. More » Phelps suspended over drink driving arrest Essendon retains Hird as coach Asian Cup hopes on line in Middle East Rabbitohs fans converge on Redfern Oval to meet their grand final heroes Horwill backs embattled Wallabies coach McKenzie Science and Technology More Science and Technology » Discoverers of brain's GPS system awarded Nobel Prize for Medicine Anglo-American John O'Keefe and Norwegian couple May-Britt and Edvard Moser have won the 2014 Nobel Prize for Medicine for discovering the brain's internal positioning system, helping humans find their way and giving clues to how strokes and Alzheimer's affect the brain. More » Biotech company under fire over AFL 'approval' claim Lunar eclipse to turn skies red with a blood moon Woman has baby after womb transplant Personality types of online commenters examined in new study Environment More Environment » Reef agency insiders say cuts undermining conservation By the National Reporting Team's Mark Willacy Recently departed directors of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA) are warning budget cuts, the loss of key staff, and a lack of leadership is undermining the agency's ability to protect Australia's greatest natural wonder. In exclusive interviews with the ABC, three former senior directors have explained their reasons for accepting voluntary redundancies in the wake of an internal restructure and a $2.8 million Federal Government cut to GBRMPA's budget. In total, five directors and a dozen other staff have decided to take a package and leave, in what some are calling the biggest loss of expertise in the authority's history. More » Great white sharks to be examined after surfer attacked Massive red-bellied black snake surprises wrangler Pastoral stations may host nuclear dump: Macfarlane Climate change blamed for beaching of 35,000 walruses 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