Aussie beef is being told to stay home – Indonesia deals with killer flooding – China releases surprising economic figures – Explosions rock Thailand’s anti-government protests.

Russia is temporarily banning the import of beef by-products from Australia, claiming it found a banned growth steroid “Trenbolene” in some recent shipments.  Beef shipments to Russia brought some A$10 million into Australia last year.  Moscow says the ban will be imposed from Jan. 27 and was prompted by the detection of the growth stimulant in several shipments.

Flooding is spreading on northern Java, even after more than 48,000 people in the Indonesian capital Jakarta are displaced from flooding caused by heavy rains and high tides.  Officials are expecting the situation in Jakarta to get even worse today.  The water has cut road access and ruined river embankments.  At least 18 people are dead.

Thousands in Hong Kong rallied in support of a young Indonesian maid who was horribly abused, allegedly by her employer, and then dumped on a plane back home with hastily-purchased clothing covering her wounds.  Hong Kong police opened an investigation into accusations of torture of 23-year-old Erwiana Sulistyaningsih.  The case is spotlighting the plight of migrant domestic workers, often from Southeast Asia and the islands, often abused by employers in Asian cities and the Gulf States.

China's economic growth dipped to a 14-year low in 2013, according to the latest government figures.  The world's second-largest economy expanded 7.7 percent from a year ago, the slowest pace of growth since 1999.  The growth rate was slightly better than the government's target of 7.5 percent.

Twin explosions hit anti-government protesters in Bangkok, injuring at least 28 people.  It happened hours after an anti-government activist was wounded when a gunman opened fire at protesters.  And a grenade attack on Friday killed one person.  The protesters want to cancel elections scheduled two weeks from today, but Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra says it’s too late and Democracy will not be stopped.

Syrian government “barrel bombs” are wreaking havoc in Aleppo, causing widespread destruction and carnage in the civilian population.  Conflicting reports say at least 16 and as many as 34 people were killed in the latest attack, taking place just days before peace talks are to begin in Switzerland.  The barrel bomb is a cost-effective instrument of war – essentially, it’s just explosives and shrapnel packed inside of an oil barrel, usually pushed from a helicopter.

The Colombian judge who delayed the sacking of the Left-wing mayor of Bogota is requesting protection after receiving death threats.  Gustavo Petro was to be dismissed as mayor of Colombia’s largest city after being accused of mishandling garbage pickups last year, but Judge Jose Maria Armenta delayed it pending an investigation.  Right-wingers went crazy on social media and made numerous death threats against the judge and his family.