2014-12-18 Australia More Top Stories

9news.com.au   

Abbott slams Lindt Cafe gunman's legal aid funding for High Court challenges   
9news.com.au
The prime minster has hit out at the new that taxpayer funds are being used to challenge government laws after it was revealed Sydney siege gunman Man Haron Monis' High Court challenges were likely funded through legal aid. Monis and his partner ...

2014-12-18 Australia Health

Stuff.co.nz   

Comfort foods not that comforting really, study finds   
Sydney Morning Herald
We smother or sweeten the sorrow of heavy hearts and hangovers with butter or bacon, ice cream or chocolate. Interestingly, men tend to choose savoury foods while women tend towards the sweets. Regardless, the psychological benefit of comfort foods ...

2014-12-18 Australia Science

Sydney Morning Herald   

Fire ants outbreak: 600 homes to be searched on Saturday   
Sydney Morning Herald
Fire ants threaten playgrounds, homes · Thongs could be a thing of the past · Experts urge biosecurity funding increase. Trained red imported fire ant inspectors will search 600 Sydney homes on Saturday as the state government investigates whether the ants ...

2014-12-18 Australia Sports

The Australian   

Australia v India: Live updates on day two from Brisbane   
The Australian
JOSH Hazlewood has lived up to the hype by hauling Australia back into the Gabba Test. After being racked with cramps yesterday afternoon, the young NSW quick returned to bowl two sublime spells today to finish with 5-68. After resuming on 4-311 on the ...

2014-12-18 Australia Entertainment

New York Times   

US Said to Find North Korea Ordered Cyberattack on Sony   
New York Times
WASHINGTON — American officials have concluded that North Korea ordered the attacks on Sony Pictures's computers, a determination reached as the studio decided Wednesday to cancel the release of a movie comedy about the assassination of Kim ...

2014-12-18 Australia Technology

Sourceable   

NBN connections 'shambolic'   
The Australian
BUSINESS owners who have signed national broadband network contracts say telephone, fax and EFTPOS connections are “shambolic”. Telstra has been phasing out its copper network since May in 15 NBN trial sites in NSW, Victoria, Queensland, South ...

2014-12-18 Australia Business

TheBull.com.au   

Stocks to watch at noon on Thursday   
NEWS.com.au
STOCKS to watch on the Australian stock exchange at noon on Thursday: ANZ - ANZ BANKING GROUP - up 58 cents, or 1.90 per cent, at $31.05. ANZ expects the economy to grow more slowly in 2015 but says the longer-term outlook for Australia remains ...

2014-12-18 Australia Australia

Herald Sun   

Fire zone towns in 'immediate danger'   
Herald Sun
UPDATE: A LARGE, fast-moving grassfire is baring down on towns in central Victoria, as two other bushfires continue to burn out of control in the state's northeast. The CFA and DEPI have issued a series of emergency warnings for Mia Mia, Meadow Valley ...

2014-12-18 Australia World

Irish Independent   

Change in US policy toward Cuba dismantles an artifact of the Cold War   
Washington Post
The Cold War died Wednesday. Its death was foretold, yet somehow it still came as a shock. It didn't expire on a bayside battlefield in the Caribbean or with a mushroom cloud or even with an exploding cigar. It perished at a White House podium. The prisoner ...