ABC NewsMail - Afternoon Edition

Good afternoon. Here's what's happening now: Five adults and a baby are missing after being caught in flooding in central Australia. Several rainfall records have been set over the past two days, but the Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park has now re-opened to visitors A broken hydraulic ram has forced pre-race favourite Wild Oats XI to retire from the Sydney to Hobart yacht race. The supermaxi was on course for a line honours record, a feat its leading rival Perpetual LOYAL now looks likely to claim A fifth man has died in a horror spate of drownings in New South Wales over the Christmas period. The 25-year-old's body was found in the Nepean River after he disappeared while swimming with friends on Boxing Day David Bowie. Prince. Leonard Cohen. This was the year that music died. Take a moment and remember the icons and trailblazers that left us in 2016. Here's what's coming up tonight: 7:10pm AEDT: Sydney Sixers play Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash 7:50PM AEDT: Melbourne City face Perth Glory in the A-League Top Stories Tourist trapped in car washed away in Northern Territory flooding A tourist remains trapped and two others are rescued after their car washes off a causeway at Hugh Creek near Alice Springs, NT Police say, while a baby is among six people missing since Christmas Day. George Michael remembered for secret charity, random generosity Grieving fans mourning the death of George Michael lay floral tributes at his homes in north London and in Goring, England, as charities reveal how the singer secretly donated his time and millions of dollars to their causes. Live: Pakistan on top on rainy second day at the MCG Play resumes after rain wipes out the entire second session on day two at the MCG. Follow all the action in our live blog. Perpetual LOYAL eyes Sydney to Hobart line honours after Wild Oats XI retires Supermaxi Perpetual LOYAL is on track to win the 72nd Sydney to Hobart in record time after the shock retirement of previous race leader Wild Oats XI with equipment failure for a second year running. Man bitten by taipan in lounge room dies six days on A Queensland man, 77, dies in hospital nearly a week after being bitten between the toes by a coastal taipan, one of the world's deadliest snakes, as he tried to hit it with a shovel. Five men dead in horror spate of NSW Christmas drownings A 25-year-old's body is found in the Nepean River making him the fifth man to drown in NSW over the Christmas period, while a toddler found unconscious with her twin in a Sydney pool also dies. Bruce Highway becomes a car park Heavy traffic brings thousands of cars to a halt on the Bruce Highway, north of Brisbane, delaying the start of summer holidays for those stuck on the frequently congested motorway. Green thumbs help woman after letter lambasts 'deplorable' garden Friends, family and locals help a Victorian woman who received an anonymous letter criticising the state of her front yard and telling her to "shape up or ship out" of the neighbourhood. Evolution not the driving force behind increased C-sections, midwife says A midwifery expert says evolution is not the primary reason for an increase in C-sections, after a study linked the procedure to the growing size of the human brain. Grace the dog rescued after falling down Tasmanian blowhole The misadventure of a spaniel named Grace has resulted in a full-scale police rescue operation atop a ledge overlooking the blowhole at Mersey Bluff in northern Tasmania. Urban footpath used to grow crop of wheat A Narrabri man is harvesting the wheat crop he planted on the verge outside of his home. Barack Obama says he could have beaten Donald Trump at the election Barack Obama has defended his legacy as President of the United States, saying he thinks he could have defeated Donald Trump had he been able to run for a third term. Scientist who helped discover dark matter dies at 88 Pioneering astronomer Vera Rubin, whose research into the rotation of galaxies helped find powerful evidence of dark matter, dies aged 88. Cancer patient donates year's worth of pizza to food bank A US man going through treatment for colon cancer has won a raffle for a year's worth of free pizzas and donated his prize to a food bank. Analysis and Opinion: The Drum Julia Baird: How to reclaim the true meaning of Christmas By Julia Baird Eight-year itch: Couples need nearly a decade to save for Sydney house By business reporter Michael Janda Scorsese's Silence a fitting test of faith at Christmas By Simon Smart Leigh Sales' top 10 interviews of 2016 By Leigh Sales Just In Coogee Beach booze ban after 'disgraceful' Christmas Day parties December 27, 2016 - 4:40 pm Thai police set to raid scandal-hit Buddhist temple December 27, 2016 - 4:33 pm China's space program to protect 'national security' December 27, 2016 - 4:24 pm World • Thai police set to raid scandal-hit Buddhist temple • China's space program to protect 'national security' • South Korea's ruling party splits over impeached president Business • Australians predicted to spend $2.8b at Boxing Day sales • Boxing Day sales restrictions in SA 'make no sense' • Sony Music's Twitter hacked, fake Britney Spears death tweets sent Politics • South Korea's ruling party splits over impeached president • Is universal basic income the dangerous idea of 2016? • Japanese PM arrives in Hawaii ahead of historic Pearl Harbor visit Sport • Live: Pakistan on top on rainy second day at the MCG • Perpetual LOYAL eyes Sydney to Hobart line honours after Wild Oats XI retires • CA's Sutherland says Big Bash expansion a 'mere formality' Science and Tech • China's space program to protect 'national security' • Evolution not the driving force behind increased C-sections, midwife says • Scientist who helped discover dark matter dies at 88 Environment • VW reaches deal with 80,000 US 3L vehicle owners • Australia's greenhouse gas emissions rising • Who's paying the most for power? 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