ABC NewsMail - Afternoon Edition

Good afternoon. Here's what's happening now: Labor senator Stephen Conroy has announced his shock retirement from politics. He tabled a speech in the Senate last night which said it was "time to say farewell", but Acting Opposition Leader Tanya Plibersek was caught by surprise when she was asked about the news during a press conference earlier today The Football Federation of Australia has admitted many W-League players have been playing for nothing, but that could change in time for the 2016/17 season. Competition to pay higher wages to female athletes is heating up, with both Netball Australia and the AFL making announcements in recent weeks Search and rescue crews have found a body in a dam in western Victoria. It's believed to be that of a farmer who was swept away by floodwaters on Wednesday After a life-saving transplant, a letter set Carolyn Boyd off on a mysterious treasure hunt which led to a remarkable friendship. Read this heartwarming story from reporter and illustrator Lucy Fahey Here's what's coming up tonight: 7:00pm AEST: A Swedish court will decide whether to uphold Julian Assange's arrest warrant 7:50pm AEST: Hawthorn will play Western Bulldogs in their AFL semi-final 7:55pm AEST: North Queensland will play Brisbane in their NRL semi-final Top Stories 'Something of a surprise': Conroy quits, catching party off guard Labor senator Stephen Conroy announces his intention to retire from politics, in a move which appears to have caught at least some of his colleagues by surprise. 'Tagging all Muslims with crimes of a few counter-productive', PM says Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull warns One Nation and his own outspoken backbencher George Christensen that demonising all Muslims is playing into the hands of extremist groups. Body found in Victorian dam where farmer went missing in floodwater Search and rescue crews recover a body in a dam in western Victoria believed to be that of a farmer who was swept away by floodwaters on Wednesday. 'You've got mummy's lungs': A life-saving transplant and a remarkable friendship After a life-saving lung transplant, a cryptic letter set Carolyn Boyd off on a treasure hunt that led to a remarkable friendship. Man, toddler die in fiery crash after making U-turn near RBT A man has pulled out of a line of cars waiting at a breath-testing station and crashed his car soon after, killing himself and his two-year-old daughter, Tasmania Police say. 'Things don't change': Descendants of Chinese miners walk in footsteps of discriminated diggers As Pauline Hanson re-enters Parliament, relatives of Chinese gold rush miners conduct a long walk to honour their ancestors' journey and remember a long history of xenophobia. Family's fight to stop Chinese copies of sawmill in cutting-edge case The creators of the Lucas Mill — an Australian-made sawmill exported to more than 100 countries worldwide — employ a private investigator and a team of patent lawyers to stop a Chinese company selling a near-exact copy of their hugely successful product. W-League could be next in line for much-needed pay boost As competition heats up to pay higher wages to female athletes, FFA admits many W-League players have been playing for nothing. Coal's death would not kill economy: Australia Institute Australia's economy would not be hurt by a gradual phasing out of coal production across the country, research suggests. 'Bad driver' who caused fatal crash should be jailed, court hears A former Adelaide taxi driver who caused a fatal head-on collision in the Adelaide Hills is a "bad driver", who has a history of driving offences, the District Court hears. Oil spill from Great Australian Bight project would be 'catastrophic' Any oil spill from BP's proposed project in the Great Australian Bight would almost certainly hit some of South Australia's biggest tourism and aquaculture hotspots, research shows. Udder respect: Google Street View blurs cow's face The media giant's face-blurring technology does not seem to discriminate, as a cow was discovered in a Street View image of Cambridge with its face obscured. Analysis and Opinion: The Drum Will Hillary's pneumonia or Trump's colonoscopy kill their campaign? By Washington bureau chief Zoe Daniel Conroy scratches out, one Labor 'rooster' left By national affairs correspondent Greg Jennett Turnbull Government begins to wash its face By Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra Annabel Crabb: All you need to know about politics right now By Annabel Crabb Just In Some foreign investors to be exempt from new Queensland tax September 16, 2016 - 4:15 pm Rookwood Cemetery sculptures hidden amongst graves September 16, 2016 - 4:10 pm Paedophile pleads guilty to writing stories about William Tyrell, Madeleine McCann September 16, 2016 - 4:01 pm World • PNG's Independence Day brings concern of a nation divided • NY police fire 18 times to subdue suspect with meat cleaver • Spying website offers crowdsourced solution to illegal fishing Business • Coal's death would not kill economy: Australia Institute • Clive Palmer loses bid to halt Queensland Nickel examination • Protesters blockading Collie coal mine moved on by police Politics • Conroy scratches out, one Labor 'rooster' left • Will Hillary's pneumonia or Trump's colonoscopy kill their campaign? • 'Something of a surprise': Conroy quits, catching party off guard Sport • A Queensland derby and the NRL's most devastating attackers • Tomic, Kyrgios give Australia perfect Davis Cup start • McGrath leads gold rush on day eight Science and Tech • Starving black hole at the heart of mysterious dimming of Markarian 1018 galaxy • Tesla 'pushing envelope' for safety, supplier of Autopilot system says • European satellite puts more than a billion stars on the map Environment • Spying website offers crowdsourced solution to illegal fishing • Hundreds of 'living fossil' crabs found dead on Japanese beach • Supplies delivered to Arctic weather station to break polar bear siege Follow ABC News About this email You received this email because you are subscribed to ABC News email alerts. 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