1. Australian military intervention in Iraq
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has announced Australia will send RAAF combat aircraft and army Special Forces advisers to join the fight in Iraq against the Islamic State terrorist group.
He told a press conference yesterday that eight Royal Australian Air Force F/A18 Super Hornet or “classic” Hornet combat aircraft, an E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, and a KC-30A multi-role tanker and transport aircraft, along with 600 Australian Defence Force personnel — 400 from the RAAF and 200 from the Army — will be deployed to Iraq within days.
The ABC reports Mr Abbott said: “Again, I stress that this movement is neither Islamic nor a state. It is a death cult reaching out to countries such as Australia.”
2. World leaders’ outrage over beheading
The latest beheading by ISIS, this time of British aid worker David Haines, has provoked outrage across the globe.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott told media the Islamic State’s beheading of Haines “should make all of us more resolved than ever to do whatever we reasonably can to disrupt, degrade and if possible destroy this movement”.
British Prime Minister David Cameron released a statement condemning the slaying as “an act of pure evil”, while US President Obama told a press conference “Those who threaten the United States will find no safe haven.”
3. Missing three-year old
Police are now entering day four of the search for missing three-year old William Tyrell on the NSW mid-north coast.
The little boy, dressed in a Spiderman suit, disappeared from his grandparent’s house at 10.30am on Friday.
Hundreds of police, SES, volunteers and surf life savers have scoured bushland for William with no trace found of the little boy so far.
Police have refused to rule out abduction.
For more read this post here.
4. PM to govern from remote community
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has moved into a tent in the outskirts of Yirkalla, a remote Aboriginal township in Arhem Land with a population of 843 for the next week.
He will govern from a canvas tent – complete with secure phone and video lines for cabinet meetings and calls to international leaders – and has brought with him some of the nation’s top civil servants, who are also staying in tents.
5. Actress angry after being detained for being a ‘prostitute’
Daniele Watts, who starred in Django Unchained and the hit TV show Weeds, has said she was angry and humiliated after being handcuffed and detained by police officer who thought she was prostitute when she kissed her white husband in public.
African-American actress Watts wrote on her Facebook page she was kissing her husband when police were called and they were asked to show their ID cards.
“Today I was handcuffed and detained by 2 police officers from the Studio City Police Department after refusing to agree that I had done something wrong by showing affection, fully clothed, in a public place,” she posted.
“The tears I cry for a country that calls itself ‘the land of the free and the home of the brave’ and yet detains people for claiming that very right.”
6. Cyberbullying grows
Reports today suggest cyberbullying is growing out of hand, with School Principals and Teachers dealing with an average of 22 cyber-bullying incidents each year.
News Limited reports that the issue has grown to such a degree that it is taking up valuable police time.
“Principals and teachers often spent Mondays intervening in a social media stoush that had erupted between students over the weekend,” it reports.
Parliamentary Secretary for Communications Paul Fletcher has said that the workload for teaching staff is a” very big new responsibility.”
7. “Fat-shaming” does not help the overweight shed weight.
“Fat shaming” does not help people lose weight but instead makes them comfort eat, according to a study in the journal Obesity.
Experts found that the 5 percent of people who experienced “weight discrimination” actually gained an average of 0.95kg while those who did not lost an average of 0.71kg over the same time frame.
The researchers said their findings contradict the common perception that “fat shaming” helps people lose weight.
Lead author Dr Sarah Jackson from UCL said: “Our results show that weight discrimination does not encourage weight loss, and suggest that it may even exacerbate weight gain”, according to The Telegraph.
8. Unfortunate sporting kit
A Colombian cycling team competing in Italy have have found social media fame after their awkward sporting kit was revealed.
The kit features a large patch of flesh coloured cloth across the women’s lower torsos and groins, giving the impression of a naked cut –out.
9. Dancing soldier
The Buckingham Palace Grenadier who danced while on duty could be fined and jailed for three weeks.
The soldier, who went viral last week after busting out a silly dance while on duty, broke strict military rules according to The Daily Mail.
An unnamed “top brass” said: “the hierarchy want to put a marker down so no guardsman dares prance around outside Buckingham Palace again.”
10. Researchers uncover one of the keys to aggressive teenagers
Researchers have uncovered one of the keys to an aggressive teenager – look them in the eyes as a toddler.
The University of NSW research showed that certain groups of boys avoid eye contact that could mean they have a hard time picking up cues.
Professor Rhoshel Lenroot told The Daily Mail: “If your child is having a hard time picking up cues, even if they are not violent, you could be able to work on it early and get them to look at other people’s eyes,”
11. Queen warns voters in Scotland to think carefully
The Queen has indicated that she would prefer to keep the United Kingdom intact in light of this weeks Scottish independence vote, The Guardian reports.
Yesterday she said to a member of the public: “I hope people will think very carefully about the future”, indicating she was hoping the “no” vote will win out.
If voters back independence in Thursday’s vote, a hugely complex negotiation will begin between Edinburgh and London to carve up resources and assets for Scotland, which would become a separate country on March 24, 2016.
12. Pill use declines
The use of the contraceptive pill has declined amongst Australian women.
Fairfax Media reports that long-acting reversible contraception, or LARCs, have overtaken the pill in terms of convenience — with the fact they have fewer side effects appealing to women.
Family Planning NSW medical director Deborah Bateson told Fairfax Media many women over the age of 35 were choosing not to use any contraception.
Women over 35 are the only demographic among whom the abortion rate is not decreasing.
13. Engagement ring disappointment
It is one of the most important purchases you can make and it seems that 1 in 6 women are unhappy with their engagement ring when they see it for the first time.
A study has shown that one-third of engaged women would have preferred to choose the ring themselves.
The UK study showed that nearly 24percent of men found choosing the ring more nerve wracking than the wedding day itself.
14. Four Sydney Hospital’s under alleged bomb threat.
Four Sydney hospitals are under investigation by Police following alleged bomb threats.
Prince of Wales hospital in Sydney’s East was partially evacuated at 3pm. Patient’s were evacuated via wheelchairs from the top 5 floors.
The patients and staff have since been returned to their rooms.
Royal North Shore, Royal Prince Alfred and Longueville Private were also under threat but weren’t evacuated.
Police are refusing to comment on why, but told news.com.au that “police operations are ongoing”.
More to come…
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Top Comments
Its all done now no changing it. They are off tomorrow and lets just hope they stay safe and none get captured. No ground troops should be deployed there is no way our men would be able to beat someine who has no emotions and no conscience as to who and how they murder.
I am curious as to what those who are criticizing the PMs decision to send a small contingent to the Middle East think he should do? At the request of the US and the Iraqi prime minister Australia has agreed to help. And both the current PM and the opposition leader are supportive of that decision. They haven't sent the entire army in they have sent a small number of resources in a support role, not a combat role at this stage. But please, before you comment, remember that these poor souls being beheaded are someone's son, husband, father or brother and so are our troops going to their aid.
Well said Jacqui. I'm uncomfortable with Australia becoming involved in another military 'exercise' in the Middle East, but I'm also uncomfortable reading about innocent people being beheaded too. Unfortunately, this is the world we now live in and we need to step up and help. It's not always somebody else's problem to solve. My prayers are with all the military personnel involved
But Jacqui, how long do you think a small contingent and a small number of resources is going to stay small? Mark my words, this is just the beginning. Something has to be done for sure, but rushing in head first and arming all and sundry with weapons really needs to be planned a bit better, as history has shown us time and time again. Why can't anybody say they want to hear an intelligent discussion on the consequences of arming Kurds before we burst into another war and everyone starts blowing each other up, without being accused of 'not caring'? I don't like innocent people getting slaughtered either but I can tell you now there's about to be a whole lot more of it.