We’ve rounded up the most important headlines around this afternoon, so you can catch-up on the latest news in under five minutes.
1. Circular Quay in Sydney is no longer in lockdown.
Update: A package found on a ferry in Sydney’s circular quay has been deemed not suspicious.
An exclusion area was earlier this afternoon established after a bottle with liquid and nails inside and wires hanging out was found on a ferry, the ABC reports.
Previously, we published:
By ABC News
The area around Sydney’s Circular Quay is in lockdown as police investigate a suspicious object that was found on a ferry.
New South Wales Police said the object was spotted by a crew member about 1:30pm (AEDT).
Specialist police are at the scene and have evacuated the area.
An exclusion zone has been set up with ferries operating from wharves 2 and 3 only.
Buses are being diverted and city circle trains are not stopping at Circular Quay.
A version of this post originally appeared on ABC News and has been republished with permission.
2. Man charged with Gold Coast double murder appears in court.
By ABC News
A 36-year-old man has appeared in Southport Magistrates Court charged with two counts of murder after the bodies of a man and a woman were found inside their Gold Coast home on Wednesday evening.
A boy, believed to be the dead couple’s son, was found at the property unharmed.
The bodies of 43-year-old Corey Croft and 39-year-old Renee Carter were discovered at the house in Upper Coomera by a female relative.
Police said they believed the couple were murdered on Tuesday night with a knife.
A young boy found inside was physically unharmed, Superintendent David Hutchinson said.
A version of this post originally appeared on ABC News and has been republished with permission.
3. Leader of anti-Muslim party in Germany resigns over “Hitler” photo.
By ABC News
The leader of the fast-growing German anti-Muslim movement PEGIDA has resigned after a photo of him posing as Hitler, as well as reports that he called refugees “scumbags”, prompted prosecutors to investigate him for inciting hatred.
Lutz Bachmann, 41, had appeared on the front page of top-selling daily newspaper Bild on Wednesday sporting a Hitler moustache and haircut.
Bild and another paper said he had called aslyum seekers “animals” and “scumbags”.
Kathrin Oertel, another PEGIDA co-founder and current leader, said his resignation had nothing to do with the Hitler photo but was linked to comments posted on the internet.
“Yes, I can confirm that Lutz Bachmann has offered his resignation and it was accepted,” Ms Oertel said.
A version of this post originally appeared on ABC News and has been republished with permission.
4. The most “dangerous sex position” has been revealed.
A new scientific study has revealed that “woman on top” is the most dangerous sex position for men.
Doctors and academics looked at patients attending three UK emergency departments with suspected “penile fractures” — and found the “woman on top” position was responsible for half of all penile fractures in the bedroom, Fairfax Media reports.
The research, published in the Advances in Urology journal, found the “doggy-style” position caused 29 per cent of the suspected penile fractures, while “man on top” ws responsible for 21 per cent.
5. Fears family violence commission will spark a homelessness crisis.
Victoria’s housing minister Martin Foley says cuts to homeless services by the federal government “couldn’t come at a worse time” — because the state government expects an increase in women escaping abusive relationships due to publicity surrounding the royal commission into family violence.
“[The royal commission] brings attention to the biggest social issue of our time over the course of this year,” he told Guardian Australia. “I expect a spike in women considering their circumstances and making the decision to leave. It’s going to be inevitable.
“The system is already under pressure, so we’ll be talking to the sector about that.”
He said the government would develop “a plan in consultation with the sector”, Guardian Australia reports.
Catch more news in this 90-second update by the ABC: