Morning Mail: Peter Greste free, Tony Abbott speech, US and Ukraine, Stephen Fry and God

Guardian Australia's Morning Mail                                                      Tuesday 3 February 2014 g
Peter Greste
In his first comments since being unexpectedly released from a 400-day ordeal inside an Egyptian prison, Australian reporter Peter Greste says he feels “incredible angst” for his still-jailed colleagues. "I’m ecstatic," Peter Greste's mum Lois told Guardian Australia. "It’s also difficult to realise this day has come, even though I’ve sort of dreamed about it quietly and not daring to think about it too much.” Peter Greste is free but Egypt’s journalists remain muzzled, writes Wadah Khanfar. This is just the start. Writing for Guardian Australia, the ABC's Mark Colvin says that, in the end, Peter Greste became an irritant for the Egyptian government, and the dignity and intelligence of his family was a central factor in his release.
Australian news and politics
Tony Abbott stared down his colleagues and detractors yesterday, saying speculation about his leadership is "a test of character", and indicating he has no intention of stepping down.   Lenore Taylor writes that the PM's press club speech had little to do with charting a path forward, and everything to do with circling the wagons around his prime ministership, while First Dog translates the message for us: It's not my fault reform is super hard! Find out who all the biggest political donors of 2013-14 were. Clive Palmer's parties topped the list, while the Coalition pulled in $60m more than Labor. A protest on a Qantas flight has delayed the forced transfer of a Tamil asylum seeker after passengers stood up to prevent the flight from taking off. Indonesia's attorney general says Bali Nine members Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran will be among the next executed.
Around the world
The United States is considering sending military assistance to Ukraine, while Russia-backed separatists announce a plan to mobilise a 100,000-strong army.  The UN says 14 of the 15 hottest years on record have occurred since 2000.  Dominique Strauss-Kahn appears at Lille court forstart of pimping trial.  The Greece debt standoff is "the greatest risk to the global economy", says UK chancellor George Osborne.
One last thing
Stephen Fry called God an ‘utterly evil, capricious, monstrous maniac’, but it shows that he misunderstands the nature of Christianity, writes Dr Giles Fraser, a priest. I don’t believe in the God that Stephen Fry doesn’t believe in either. Have an excellent day – and if you spot something I've missed, let me know on Twitter @earleyedition.