All the major news stories today from Australia and around the world.
1. Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran to be executed together in Bali
Bali 9 ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran will be executed together in Bali. The news comes as Indonesia announces plans to execute six people this weekend.
Myuran Sukumaran had his clemency plea rejected on December 30, but Andrew Chan has yet to receive any answer regarding his clemency – but Indonesian Attorney-General HM Prasetyo said that they would be executed together as they committed the crime together.
It is the first time in a year Indonesia has conducted executions.
The six death row inmates, all on drugs charges, will face firing squads on Sunday. Five men and one woman. They are from Brazil, Nigeria, Malawi, Vietnam and Holland and one is Indonesia.
Indonesian Attorney-General HM Prasetyo said authorities were prioritising the execution of drug cases, that there would be no clemency or compromise for drug cases.
The Jakarta Post reports that the Attorney general said that the government would prioritize drug convicts over others and that more executions will follow this batch.
The executions will take place by firing squad.
2. Two dead in Belguim terror raids
By ABC News
Belgian police have killed two men who opened fire on them during one of about a dozen raids against a group that was about to launch “terrorist attacks on a grand scale”.
Federal prosecutors said a third man was arrested during the operation in the eastern town of Verviers, between the city of Liege and the German border.
They said they had not established a direct connection to last week’s attacks in Paris. No police were injured in the operation.
“The suspects immediately and for several minutes opened fire with military weaponry and handguns on the special units of the federal police before they were neutralised,” said prosecutor Eric Van Der Sypt.
Local television network RTBF said the operation intended to check on suspected radicals, one of several conducted against people believed to have returned to Belgium after taking part in the Syrian civil war.
Other reports said gunshots and several explosions were heard on a residential street near a railway station.
One photo posted by a witness on Twitter showed police vehicles and ambulances blocking the street.
Earlier, Belgian authorities arrested a man on suspicion of supplying the Paris gunmen with weapons.
A version of this post originally appeared on ABC News and has been republished with permission.
3. Wiped from the map: Boko Harem razes Nigerian towns
Shocking images released by Amnesty International have shown the devastating impact of last week’s attacks by Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Satellite images reveal the scale of the devastation suffered by the towns of Baga and Doron Baga, which were seized by the Islamist insurgents last Wednesday.
Other nearby towns and villages were also attacked over this period.
Over 3,700 homes and other structures were razed, with Doron Baga very nearly wiped from the map.
”These detailed images show devastation of catastrophic proportions in two towns, one of which was almost wiped off the map in the space of four days,” said Daniel Eyre, the Nigeria researcher from Amnesty.
”Of all Boko Haram assaults analysed by Amnesty International, this is the largest and most destructive yet. It represents a deliberate attack on civilians whose homes, clinics and schools are now burnt out ruins.”
Amnesty says that thousands of people have fled the violence across the border to Chad and to other parts of Nigeria adding to the hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people and refugees, and stretching the capacity of host communities and government authorities.
4. Four funerals for Charlie Hebdo victims
Funerals have taken place in France four people killed in last week’s attack in Paris on Charlie Hebdo.
A private funeral service was held for Tignous, 57, ahead of his burial in Pere Lachaise, Paris’ best known resting place for writers, artists and composers.
In a tribute at the ceremony, Tignous’ colleague Corinne Rey described him as the “king of jokes”.
A ceremony was held for Wolinski, who was to be cremated. His daughter Elsa said “We stand here and will continue to defend the principles of Charlie Hebdo.”
Friends and family also farewelled Charlie Hebdo columnist Elsa Cayat, the only woman killed at the magazine massacre and Franck Brinsolaro, a policeman assigned to guard Charlie Hebdo editor Stephane Charbonnier.
5. Govnt scraps Medicare rebate cut
As reported yesterday the Federal Heath Minister, Sussan Ley has announced the government has backed down on plans to cut the Medicare rebate by $20 for short visits to the doctor.
The backdown came just a day after Prime Minister strongly defended the measure as an “economic reform” that would lead to better patient care.
6. Oscar nominations
Overnight the Oscar nominations have been announced with many expected Aussies snubbed in the race for a gong.
Julianne Moore in Still Alice is the favourite for best Actress while Birdman’s Michael Keaton is the expected to win best actor.
Sound mixer David Lee was the only Aussie among with nominees for his work on Angelina Jolie’s film Unbroken.
7. Funeral for little girl thrown off bridge
A funeral has taken place for a five-year old girl whose father threw her off a bridge last week in the US.
Phoebe Jonchuck’s father, John was arrested and charged with her murder.
It has been revealed that his lawyer raised concerns with police about his mental state only hours before Phoebe’s death.
For more read this post here.
8. Homemade bomb in Sydney wrapped in shrapnel, allegedly designed to maim or kill, court hears
By ABC
A Sydney man charged with possessing a homemade bomb that police alleged was wrapped in shrapnel and designed to maim or kill, has been refused bail.
Appearing via video link in Penrith Local Court, Harley Roy Turnbull swore at magistrate Dorelle Pinch when bail was denied.
The court heard that Turnbull planned to take the device into a public place and use it as a “conversation starter”.
The device was covered in duct tape and had blue wires attached to it.
Police prosecutor Sergeant Ben Seabury said it also had 50 ball bearings wrapped around it.
He said the bomb was designed to “kill or maim” and would have been “catastrophic” had it been detonated in public.
Magistrate Pinch said it was unclear who gave Turnbull the device.
His lawyer Brad Mallinson argued that his client believed it was a fire cracker or “something you would put on a birthday cake”.
Mr Mallinson said his client “never touched it because he didn’t know what it was”.
But police said there was evidence that Turnbull knew it had a detonator.
Turnbull’s mother discovered a suspicious black package at the family’s Werrington home on Tuesday and called police.
It was examined by forensic experts before being taken to a nearby park and safely detonated.
A version of this story was originally published on ABC and has been republished with full permission.
9. Shocking child abuse at child care
A video showing a teacher violently abusing a child in a daycare centre has shocked many across the world, and caused the closure of the centre.
The video which shows a teacher attempting to get a child to eat, the child refuses and spits out the food, so the teacher brutally slaps her causing her to be flung across the room. Dazed and sprawled on the floor the child then reaches for the spoon to eat the food.
CNN reports that local mothers have taken it in turns to protest, standing holding banners in nearby streets.
The nursery has been closed.
Warning: This video contains violent images and may be distressing to some viewers.
10. Ruth Rendell in critical condition
Crime writer Ruth Rendell, author of over 60 best-selling novels is in a critical but stable condition after suffering a stroke.
11. Father charged after giving sick toddler cannabis oil
A father has been charged with supplying dangerous drugs to a minor and possessing dangerous drugs after giving his two year old daughter medical cannabis.
The Cairns man who is due to appear in court today has taken to social media to defend his actions.
His two-year-old daughter was formally diagnosed with advanced neuroblastoma in December; she started her first bout of chemotherapy a few weeks ago.
The father claimed he was trying to increase her “50 per cent chance of survival.”
“My aim was to create an alkaline climate in her body, provide a nutrient-dense diet, alkaline water, essential oil therapy, and a healing environment of fun and positivity,’’ he wrote.
His ex-wife, the girl’s mother told The Cairns Post that her daughter’s doctors had reported it to police, and that she herself was outraged by his actions.
12. She didn’t get her orgasm
A woman is suing a tights manufacturer because she did not get an orgasmic experience when she wore them, like the women in the commercial selling the products.
The New York Post reports that the woman, Meng Wang is claiming in a federal class-action suit that she was duped into believing she’d get some “good vibrations” from the pair of black “shaping tights”.
The ad for the product shows a woman striding along the streets muttering phrases like “That’s the spot!” and “Oooh, yes!’’. The sexually charged background song croons “I feel super satisfied, super satisfied!’’
The suit says that the softly moaning woman is “literally show-stopping, causing male and female passersby alike to stop in their tracks to look at her with their mouths agape,’’
“Towards the end of the commercial, the woman opens her eyes to find herself surrounded by a group of excited women fascinated with knowing her secret to feeling orgasmic on city streets.
“She eagerly tells them, ‘Oh, it’s Kushyfoot’ and distributes their products from her shopping bags to each of the women,’’ who then appear to be in the throes of excitement themselves thanks to the product.
But Wang was disappointed that when she put on the Kushyfoot tights all she felt was another pair of socks.
The New York Post spoke to Wang’s lawyer who said that Kushyfoot’s claims were similar to a marketing campaign by Skechers “Shape-up” model which boasted it could help tone buttocks, legs and abdominal muscles just by standing in them.
Skechers settled a related class-action lawsuit for $40 million in 2012.
13. Newcastle beaches closed for a record seventh day
Shark sightings at Newcastle beaches have prompted the closure of the beaches for a record seven consecutive days.
A great white shark “as big as a car” was spotted and photographed by a Fairfax Media photographer.
The council said, “Sightings of this shark have been across all beaches, from Stockton to Merewether.”
“It is not safe for anyone to be in the water, including board riders, even close to shore, as sharks are known to move into the surf zone, hunting prey between where the surf breaks and the shoreline.”
Yesterday surfers at Stockton Beach saw a large fin near the breakers about 10am.
Top Comments
MM: it would be nice if you included that the man had been using a marijuana oil that DOES NOT cause a high. THC has to be heated and turned into THD to get you high. When THC is infused in an oil it can be consumed or applied topically to help with many different ailments. There's a TONNE of research to support what he was doing.
Marijuana is NOT a dangerous drug. It's about time we started questioning the governments reluctance to trust it citizens to make decisions about their own medical treatment.
That stocking story is hilarious!!!! good on her though, I'm so sick of advertising that is more fantasy than fact.