1. The first picture of Baby Gammy’s biological twin sister has been released:
Channel Nine’s 60 Minutes will air the first interview with baby Gammy‘s biological parents on Sunday night.
David and Wendy Farnell will reportedly tell their side of the story in the interview which will air at 9:10pm on Sunday Night.
According to a press release from Channel Nine:
They would like Australia to hear their side of the story, before passing judgement on them.
They have been cooperating with the Department of Child Protection since Wednesday morning, and will continue to do so.
They were feeding their dog every day until the RSPCA took her away.
60 Minutes Executive Producer Tom Malone said that the Farnells had not been paid any money for the interview:
“We never comment on any commercial arrangements between 60 Minutes and our interview subjects but given the nature of this story, it’s important our viewers know that no money has been or will be paid to the parents. However, 60 Minutes will be making a donation to the charity Hands Across the Water, which is raising money for Gammy’s ongoing treatment and care,” he said.
Six-month-old baby Gammy was allegedly abandoned by his Australian biological parents when they found out he had Down’s Syndrome.
He has since been cared for by the surrogate mother who carried him.
Here’s the trailer for tomorrow’s 60 Minutes:
2. Ebola outbreak is an international public health emergency.
The World Health Organisation has declared the ebola outbreak as an international public health emergency.
At least 961 people – mostly in west African countries of Guinea, Nigeria, Liberia and Sierra Lionne – have died from the outbreak.
World Health Organisation director-general Margaret Chan said in a public statement: “The outbreak is moving faster than we can control it.”
The risk of the virus travelling to Australia is low, but Australia’s chief medical officer said the government is taking the necessary steps to stop the spread.
“We’ll be putting up banners advising people who are coming to us from Africa – particularly those who have spent time in West Africa in the 21 days before they come back to us – reminding them of Ebola and of the symptoms and what to do if they’ve got any concerns,” he said.
3. US aircraft strike Northern Iraq.
In the first act of military action since 2011, overnight the US bombed areas of Nothern Iraq. US President Obama ordered the air strike in what he said was an action to prevent genocide.
According to The ABC:
Two US F/A-18 aircraft dropped 225-kilogram, laser-guided bombs on a piece of mobile artillery belonging to Islamic State (IS), the Sunni extremist movement that has swept across Iraq and Syria, Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said.
Rear Admiral Kirby said that the strike, carried out at 1:45pm local time (8:45pm AEST), was ordered after the IS shelling was deemed a risk to US personnel based in Erbil, long considered a safe city in the troubled country.
The move came after Islamic militants captured the Christian town of Qaraqosh. There have been reports that the militants were rounding up families and carrying out mass executions.
There have also been reports that hundreds of women have be captured and could be kept as slaves – or given to militants as wives.
4. The woman who famously sold tickets to her baby’s birth is now selling Skype tickets too.
Josie Cunningham, the UK woman who last month captured our attention when she started selling tickets to her son’s birth, is now offering discounted tickets for people who want to watch via Skype.
According to reports, the 24 year old is offering 50 people the chance to Skype in to the birth – at a cost of 200 pounds each.
Last month Cunningham four tickets to see her child’s birth live – two £10,000 tickets to journalists allowing them to film the birth, and two £5,000 tickets to people who can watch but not film.
(Just FYI – £10,000 is around $16,000 AUD.)
5. Former Whitehouse Institute of Design teacher says Frances Abbott did not deserve scholarship.
The teacher who allegedly leaked information about Frances Abbott’s design scholarship has given an interview to the Australian Financial Review.
In the exclusive interview, Melletios Kyriakidis says he was “morally outraged” by the university’s decision to give Ms Abbott a $60,000 Chairman’s scholarship to complete her degree.
“Even from her class I could name 10 people more deserving either for merit or financial need or both,” Mr Kyriakidis said.
“Frances is a lovely person. I don’t want this to be about her but I want this to be about fairness,” he said.
Top Comments
He even looks creepy. I won't be watching. Yucky people.
Get that child away from the convicted pedophile. That is all.