ABC NewsMail - Afternoon Edition

Top Stories 'Rent, don't buy' is this economist's advice to young Aussies With capital city house prices soaring, Deloitte economist Chris Richardson reveals the "one bit of advice" for those hoping to get a foot on the property ladder. Should you use your super to buy a house? Let's crunch the numbers Coalition MPs are backing a proposal to let young people redirect their super contributions towards a deposit for their first house. Awesome, right? Well, before you get too excited, let's take a closer look at the scheme. PM not convinced on super-for-housing proposal Malcolm Turnbull reiterates his opposition to letting young people access their superannuation to purchase a home, but stops short of explicitly ruling it out. N Korean nuke could hit US west coast by 2021: former CIA officer North Korea could have a 10-kiloton weapon capable of striking the US west coast and killing 100,000 people within four years, according to a former CIA officer. Making native animals toxic to feral cats In a lab at the University of South Australia, researchers create a rice-sized implant that can be injected into native animals, making them toxic when eaten by feral cats. 'Waiting for death': Inside the Syrian town hit with chemical weapons A week after a gas attack killed 87 people, residents left in the devastated town of Khan Sheikhoun are making homemade gas masks out of nylon bags, sleeping on farming land, and some are simply waiting for the next bombs, a photojournalist says. Wilkie questions Assad's role in Syria chemical weapons attack Independent MP and former intelligence analyst Andrew Wilkie says he doesn't trust the Trump administration's assurances there is "no doubt" Syria's President ordered the strike against his own citizens. Big business using smaller businesses as 'cheap banks', says Federal Ombudsman If you are a small business or contractor and you're still waiting to be paid for work you completed months ago — you're not alone. Corporations have effectively been using smaller businesses as a cheap form of finance by delaying payments, according to the Small Business Ombudsman. Spicer apologises for saying Hitler 'didn't use chemical weapons' White House press secretary Sean Spicer is facing calls to resign after saying Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler did not use chemical weapons during World War II — a statement at odds with the extermination of millions of people in gas chambers. United Airlines issues third apology over passenger removal United Airlines issues a stronger apology about a passenger who was dragged off a United Express flight, calling the confrontation "truly horrific" after the company's stock price tumbles. How can childcare centres charge you over Easter when your kids are at home? Parents are speaking out against being slugged for a service they don't use, with some refusing to book their children in on Mondays. Super Rugby debacle proof Australian sport is stretched beyond breaking point The imminent demise of one Australian Super Rugby team is both a warning sign for Australian sport and a lesson from history that hasn't been learned. 'Gene is innocent': Gibson's Broome bashing death conviction quashed An Aboriginal man with cognitive impairment wins an appeal against his conviction for the manslaughter of Josh Warneke in WA and walks free after almost five years in jail — a result Mr Warneke's overjoyed mother describes as "one of the most profound moments of my life". Erosion from Debbie could hurt Great Barrier Reef Polluted water is heading for the Great Barrier Reef in the wake of Cyclone Debbie, with scientists fearing coral and sea grass could be harmed by sediment. Google backs out of plan to base itself at Sydney's White Bay Plans to transform a dilapidated power station into Sydney's answer to Silicon Valley hit a major stumbling block, after tech-giant Google walks away from negotiations to redevelop the site. Gold bullion worth $70k stolen from Ballarat home A Ballarat woman who lost $70,000 worth of gold in a burglary says she believes she was being watched by the thief before he broke in. 'Brutal' platypus killings under investigation in Albury Authorities investigate the killing and public dumping of three platypuses, two of which were beheaded, near the Murray River on the border of New South Wales and Victoria. 'It was terrifying': Tweed community still reeling from freak flood As the tiny town of Burringbar tries to get lives back on track, families are still emotional about the damaging flooding that crept into their houses as they slept. Why dogs eat things that aren't food Dogs love to chew all manner of things, but when they start to ingest non-edible objects such as socks or underwear, something could get stuck. J Geils of hit single Centrefold fame dies You might not know the name, but you know the song. The man who started the band behind the 80s hit Centrefold, John Geils, has died aged 71. Fearless Girl infringes bull sculptor's artistic rights, lawyer says The artist who sculpted Wall Street's iconic Charging Bull will challenge a decision to keep the defiant bronze girl in place until February 2018. Analysis and Opinion: The Drum Bomb by bomb, UN weapons convention undermined in Syria By Middle East correspondent Matt Brown Super Rugby debacle proof Australian sport is stretched beyond breaking point By national sport editor David Mark Why you won't hear the banks squealing about APRA's tougher rules By business reporter Stephen Letts Distribution of debt poses new trigger to housing market By business editor Ian Verrender Just In Two girls caught trying to escape Don Dale April 12, 2017 - 5:08 pm Attacking North Korea? Surely Trump couldn't be that foolish April 12, 2017 - 5:03 pm Pauline Hanson's Easter egg boycott call 'irresponsible', union says April 12, 2017 - 4:59 pm World • Attacking North Korea? Surely Trump couldn't be that foolish • Bill O'Reilly takes snap vacation amid advertiser exodus over sexual harassment claims • Eight arrested in connection with St Petersburg bombing Business • 'Rent, don't buy' is this economist's advice to young Aussies • Loaning $900m for Adani's coal railway 'too risky' • Telstra shares slump as TPG moves to build mobile network Politics • 'Rent, don't buy' is this economist's advice to young Aussies • PM not convinced on super-for-housing proposal • McGowan demands ARU save Western Force Sport • McGowan demands ARU save Western Force • Super Rugby debacle proof Australian sport is stretched beyond breaking point • Blasts hit Borussia Dortmund football team bus Science and Tech • Making native animals toxic to feral cats • Google backs out of plan to base itself at Sydney's White Bay • Twitter, mental health workers gear up to tackle barrage of bad news online Environment • Making native animals toxic to feral cats • Severe coral bleaching hits two-thirds of Great Barrier Reef, aerial surveys show • Cyclone Debbie leaves Whitsundays reefs in ruins Follow ABC News About this email You received this email because you are subscribed to ABC News email alerts. 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